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East Bay Regional Parks Activity Guide
IT’S YOUR PAPER
Ein prosit! Raise your stein
www.claytonpioneer.com
October 12, 2018
925.672.0500
KEITH HAYDON
MAYOR’S CORNER
Digging into issues surrounding City Council election
With the City Council election less than a month away, I want to focus on issues raised by this important vote. Two council positions are up for election, and there are four candidates. City Councilman and Vice Mayor David “Shoe” Shuey is running for reelection, with Planning Commissioner Carl “CW” Wolfe hoping to step up to the City Council and residents Brian Buddell and Jeff Wan also running for seats. Residents have asked me how candidates qualify to run Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer for a City Council position, The Annual CBCA Oktoberfest got off to a “doggone” good start Saturday when the keg, followed by The Internationals, how the election campaign back for their 15th year, made their way down Main Street to the main tent where a packed house was ready for an process works and about afternoon of beer, food and good cheer. recent development issues downtown. In case you had similar questions, I will share some of these questions and responses with you: Q. What are the qualifications for a candidate to run for the Clayton City Council? A. A candidate must be a resident of the city of Clayton, complete and file an election packet that includes a nominating petition signed by at least 20 qualified, registered Clayton voters and pay the necessary filing fees.
CBCA did it again. Hit it out of the park. The final numbers aren’t in, but by all appearances, last weekend’s 15th Annual Oktoberfest drew the biggest crowd anyone can remember in the event’s history. New this year was the Pepsi recycler stationed at the west end of Main Street and the much smaller, but locally owned Naked Tomato mobile pizza oven. The business is a non-profit with a most interesting business model. Look for more on Naked Tomato in a future Pioneer. The Oktoberfest is one of three major fundraising events produced by the Clayton Business and Community Association each year. The others are the Art and Wine Festival in the spring and the BBQ Cookoff in the summer. Each event takes upwards of 150 volunteers to run from all corners of the community. All funds are returned to the community in the form of grants and scholarships. For membership information, go to www.claytoncbca.org.
Rocket scientist teacher encourages students, gamers JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
Anthony Anderson gets a big smile when he answers the question, “Do you tell your students you’re a real rocket scientist?” The lead teacher in the Clayton Valley Charter High School science department is an honest-togoodness rocket scientist, witness his aerospace engineering degree from the country’s top AE school, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida. In his second year at CVCHS Anderson is building a reputation among students
Q. How does a potential candidate gain experience to run for the City Council? A. Actual experience in an official city position, such as serving on the Planning Commission or Trails and Landscape Committee, is not required to run for the City Council. However, I highly recommend it because it would help candidates gain more knowledge about how Clayton’s city government operates under state and local laws. Being active in any of Clayton’s many volunteer groups and organizations PEGGY SPEAR would also be helpful to learn Clayton Pioneer about local issues, concerns and interests on the minds of Two distinct slates emerged other residents who volunteer in a civil but passionate canditheir time and efforts for the dates forum for the two open benefit of the entire Clayton Clayton City Council seats. community. It was city experience vs. new voices at the Sept. 24 event, sponsored by the See Mayor, page 7 League of Women Voters, the Clayton branch of the American Association of University Woman and the Community What’s Inside Library Association. Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . .4 In one corner, council Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 incumbent David Shuey and Community Calendar . . . . .15 planning commissioner C.W. Directory of Advertisers . . . .9 Wolfe emphasized their experiHearts and Hands . . . . . . . .2 ence, while newcomers Brian Senior Living . . . . . . . . . . .18 Buddell and Jeff Wan took Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 hard swipes at the way the Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
for his three computer classes—-game design and introduction to computer science. He also teaches two periods of geometry. During a recent visit to his classroom, Anderson’s introduction to computer science class began with two presentations from students. Their visuals were projected on a large screen at the back of the room with the speakers able to go through their presentation by touching the screen. Both presentations were done by female students. Sophomore Ada Fong went through the elements of the
pitch video her team made last year for the mobile app they developed and entered in an international Girls Who Code competition, part of a 90,000 female student movement. The CVCHS team’s app revolved around school safety inspired by the most recent school shooting last year. Before Fong gave her presentation, Anderson informed the class to put away all devices because not doing that “is the easiest way to fail the course.” For the rest of our visit the students were focused on the
council has made decisions.
three lots downtown. Those issues would come up time and again in the onehour debate. In Shuey’s opening statement, he cautioned voters to be wary of campaign claims. “You can’t fact check future promises,” he said. “You can only look at a proven track record, noting that he and Wolfe have “decades” of experience gained through city service and volunteerism. Shuey has held a council seat for 16 years and is running for a fifth term. Buddell credited the current and past councils for many good decisions. “The parks, the concerts, all those things are the reason I moved here with my family.” But he doesn’t like the way
See Science, page 3
Photo courtesy CVCHS
CVCHS teacher Anthony Anderson is encouraging and inspiring his computer science students by offering a course in game design and entering teams in Girls Who Code competitions. Seniors Analysa Espinoza (left) and Stephanie Keeler (middle) are teaming up with fellow students to develop a mobile app called Ride or Die that is geared to deter impaired driving and the resultant accidents that account for one-third of all teen deaths.
Candidates forum reveals major differences
VOTE
WOLFE Carl “CW”
Clayton City Council
DOWNTOWN AT ISSUE At the heart of the matter was downtown development. Yet it seemed the two factions differed on every issue moderator Gail Murray addressed – underscoring the sometimes brutal campaign being played out on social media sites and around town. Wan opened the debate saying that the council had made “bad decisions” when it came to three recent issues: It ignored parolee housing until it was almost too late to do something about it; it is selling big lots where the community holds its many activities; and it is planning to build high-density housing on
he says the current council appears to be “embracing big development downtown.” Wolfe, best known as the voice of the town’s Fourth of July Parade, said Clayton’s biggest issue is to “heal the divide and come together.” Wolfe has served on the planning commission for two years, one year as the chair and is an active member of the Clayton Business and Community Association. Wan and Buddell were notably silent on their civic engagement or volunteer experience. Wan, the father of three young children, said his volunteer time has been limited to helping with his children’s activities. Buddell “declined to
state” what, if any, community service experience he has saying his time and donations “are for cause, not praise.” When asked what is Clayton’s biggest challenge, Shuey said it’s the unfunded state mandates that small towns like Clayton can’t afford. “Housing issues, zoning, parolee housing – all of those things are there.” Buddell says the city is showing “fear” in the face of these mandates and should be fighting the state. As an “experienced litigator,” he said he is willing to take on the state. Wan said the biggest issue was what to do with the downtown. “The council persists in
See Campaign, page 3
Carl “CW” Wolfe for Clayton City Council
• Leadership with FACTS, NOT FICTION Current Planning Commissioner • Responsible, Well-Planned, Growth Experience Counts! to Retain Small Town Lifestyle www.WolfeForClaytonCouncil.com On Facebook www.fb.com/wolfeforclaytoncitycouncil • More Citizen Involvement
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