2022 City Council and School Board Candidates Answer Sustainability Questions
Hello Candidates,
Thank you for offering to run for Piedmont City Council and School Board and to serve as a volunteer for our community.
Piedmont Connect is a non-profit organization based in town that advocates for sustainability policies in city and PUSD operations as well as engages our community in sustainability awareness. To that end, we consider it especially important for city leaders to address certain key sustainability issues.
The Connect Board and its membership would be interested in your answers to the following questions.
Thank you for your commitment to Piedmont and we’d be happy to answer any questions you have. Piedmont Connect is a 501(c)3 organization and cannot endorse political candidates.
Piedmont Connect Board of Directors
City Council Candidates
Question 1: The City of Piedmont increasingly confronts sustainability issues in city operations and via international, national, state and local objectives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and/or to conserve water. Most East Bay and Peninsula cities already have working, permanent Sustainability and/or Climate Action committees, served by community volunteers, to address these issues in their communities.
Would you support establishing a Piedmont Sustainability Commission in 2023?
Betsy Smegal Anderson: The City Council, with support from dedicated city staff, has taken a leadership role with respect to climate action. The questions posed to the candidates by Piedmont Connect are either already on the City Council's agenda, or are likely to come before the City Council in the foreseeable future. As you may be aware, Piedmont City Councilmembers are governed by the Brown Act, and therefore we should not publicly state our positions on any specific issues that are already pending before the Council, or likely to be coming before the Council.
I am proud of the environmental leadership of the Piedmont City Council during my tenure. Here are a few highlights from the past five years:
Council opted the entire City into the East Bay Community Energy (EBCE) 100% renewable energy default option (2018)
Council updated our City's Climate Action Plan (2018) and has been taking steps to reduce the use of natural gas in City facilities (ongoing)
Council funded and hired a full-time Sustainability Program Manager (2020)
Council made significant improvements to and created an updated list of priorities for our Safer Streets plan (2021)
Council passed comprehensive REACH Codes to promote homeowner transition to electrification (2021 & 2022)
Council made the decision to design an all-electric municipal pool facility (2022)
Council allocated funding to redo our aging park irrigation system in an effort to reduce water usage (2022)
A comprehensive staff report from July 18, 2022, includes an update on Piedmont's greenhouse gas emissions, the implementation status of the Climate Action Plan 2.0, as well as environmental accomplishments and possible next steps
I am also proud to have been endorsed by the Sierra Club. I hope the Board and the members of Piedmont Connect are aware of my commitment to the future of Piedmont and to the future of our planet.
Nancy Bostrom-Fleming: I would not only support the establishment of a Piedmont Sustainability Commission but vote to require the establishment of such a commission. These are life and death issues that involve the quality of life of all life on our Blue Pearl Planet and, as such, young people from our schools with their innovative thinking, weighted position as deeply next generation stakeholders might enhance and energize the efforts by being included in a student-advisor status.
Bridget Harris: Creating a volunteer Piedmont Sustainability Commission would be beneficial to the City of Piedmont and helpful to the City Council. A committee could advise on issues relating to air quality, water quality, energy and resource conservation. Selection of committee members could focus on both science and practical backgrounds to facilitate a successful committee. Enlisting volunteers would insure a commitment to the goals of a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and water conservation. A committee would also encourage input and participation from the community to create programs, and increase education and awareness. The committee could then provide objectives and status reports directly to the City Council which could then authorize action.
Jeanne Solnordal: Yes, I think having a Sustainability Commission could be very helpful to our city. However, often volunteers involved in Climate issues tend to be overly passionate and want to impose regulations to match their ideology. Recently, I heard a lady at a Council Meeting suggest that mandates and regulations should be imposed so we can meet the criteria of our next climate action plan. If the commission were made up of a group of people who all thought such as this, their certainly would not be a balance to any discussion or decision. If the commission focused on helping the community with transitions versus imposing regulations it could be a great asset to the community as we move forward to reduce emissions.
Jennifer Long: As a current City Council member, I am subject to the Brown Act, which limits my ability to respond to the specific policy questions posed, as they relate directly to issues on our agenda or likely to be on a future agenda.
Tom Ramsey: I’m proud to live in a town that is a recognized leader in sustainability and support the continuation and expansion of this leadership through both City and citizen actions – Sustainability is an important part of my ethic as an architect, community member, and father. I believe there is an important role for government, from federal to local, in addressing climate change, starting with acknowledging the role of human activities in changing our climate to taking action to mitigate and adapt. While Piedmont has a very small direct carbon footprint, there are creative opportunities for community climate leadership and, if elected, I look forward to working with organizations such as Piedmont Connect to identify and implement the most impactful options.
For the second year in a row, Piedmont was awarded the Institute of Local Government (ILG)’s Platinum Spotlight Award for Sustainability in 2022. We have a dedicated Sustainability Program Manager on our city staff, 90% of our residences are served by East Bay Community Energy's (EBCE) 100% Renewable energy service plan, and our updated Climate Action Plan lays out specific actions to guide our policy and reach our goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The Climate Action Plan 2.0 was written by staff with the guidance of the Piedmont Climate Action Plan (CAP) Advisory Group, a group of Piedmont volunteers including subject matter experts in energy and sustainability.
We still have work to do to meet our goals, but the process to engage the public, set goals, and provide oversight through the CAP Advisory Group has been successful. Establishing a permanent commission would require more staff time, and be subject to the Brown Act, and our local subject matter experts may not be available to the time commitment that a commission requires. I think the focused effort of a CAP Advisory Committee on an “as-needed” basis is effective for this issue.
Question 2: Piedmont’s municipal Reach codes currently apply to low-rise residential buildings which now encompasses much of the multi-family housing contemplated in the draft Housing Element. Revisions to the California Building Code, going into effect in Jan 2023, redefined low-rise residential as single-family housing, thereby eliminating multi-family housing from compliance with Piedmont’s Reach codes.
Should the City implement more comprehensive Reach codes for building types other than single-family housing (multi-family, religious, commercial, municipal, et al.), so that all new construction of any kind must be all-electric, and renovations to any building-type must abide by the same energy-efficiency rules?
Betsy Smegal Anderson: See Question 1 answer.
Nancy Bostrom-Fleming: I believe in more comprehensive Reach Codes for multi-family housing and all commercial, religious, and municipal building projects. All electric and renovations to any building type must abide by the same rules as any single family home. We cannot allow any owners or contractors or builders to wiggle out of compliance based on the number of residents housed or the use of the building. We all need clean air, safe responsible, planet-friendly heating and control of pollutants whether we live in a small, 700 square foot cutie-pie craftsman house or 35-room chateau: and in Piedmont we already have both. Mosque, synagogue, Temple, Church, Art Gallery, Civic building, 99-car private car collection garage (Oh, please, someday let it be mine) all need to contribute to this conservation effort to protect, shelter and enhance the quality of existence for all life forms on Earth. That is everyone's new job description in case you are wondering.
Bridget Harris: In 2021 the City of Piedmont adopted Reach Codes which affect new construction and certain renovations to existing residences. These changes are momentous, including the requirement of all electric appliances and prohibition of gas hook-ups for new construction. I would certainly encourage that any new multi-family unit construction comply with the Reach Codes; however the state Density Bonus law may override Piedmont's local regulations.
Jeanne Solnordal: I do not believe in regulations. I think people are wise enough to make sound decisions based on their personal situation. A sustainability Commission could be an asset if they reached out to the community with education on electrifying. SFR and multi-use buildings would voluntarily install all electric appliances if it were economically feasible. If rebates or other incentives were offered, more electrifications would happen voluntarily. Reach Codes should be a recommendation not a mandate. Piedmont is a very small city and looking at the big picture, Piedmont has very little impact on the planet’s climate change. Our impact should be weighed against the need for regulations. People do not like government overreach and our City Council does not need to be that kind of government. However, I think we all agree that reducing our footprint is important and starts at home. Education is paramount.
Jennifer Long: See Question 1 answer.
Tom Ramsey: Piedmont again has shown leadership in sustainability and energy efficiency by adopting REACH codes beyond the minimum state requirements that will go into effect with the new code cycle in 2023. I would certainly support serious consideration of expanding REACH Codes requirements and applications through the community input process described in the response to question #1.
Question 3: According to Piedmont’s most recent annual greenhouse gas inventory, residential energy use accounts for approximately half of Piedmont’s annual greenhouse gas emissions with virtually all of these emissions attributed to the use of natural gas in Piedmont homes.
What ideas would you propose and support to incentivize or require installation of electrical appliances in Piedmont’s homes at time of the replacement or remodel?
Betsy Smegal Anderson: See Question 1 answer.
Nancy Bostrom-Fleming: Incentives for conversion to electricity. A. No conversion plan, no permits. B. Give proof of electric appliances, heating, cooling-get reduction in permit fees.
Bridget Harris: Most Piedmont homes were built when electricity needs were low and gas was inexpensive, as such, they do not have enough electrical panels to upgrade to all-electric. To change from gas heaters, dryers, fireplaces, ranges, and water heaters may require additional electrical panels, which may be cost-prohibitive. Using incentives versus mandates to encourage the gradual replacement of gas appliances in a cost efficient manner is a better approach. We need to educate the community on the benefits of reducing greenhouse gas emissions as well as provide information on any tax credits associated with replacement. At all times, we have to be very aware that there are serious issues with supply (grid shut down). We can't place any demands on Piedmont residents who depend on energy for certain health needs.
Jeanne Solnordal: This is a great question as incentives and information are the best way to persuade homeowners. Requiring or imposing regulations is something I, along with others, oppose. Hot water heaters do not have a long life. As they fail, residents need a quick solution to an urgent situation. This is one appliance that residents could easily convert if the process was made easy. A list of vendors with pricing along with permit instructions and costs could help the resident make a quick decision and may encourage more conversions to electric. Information, Incentives, rebates and waiving of permit fees would be a good place to start to encourage voluntary conversions. This commission could be an asset to the community if they assisted rather than required residents to electrify.
Jennifer Long: See Question 1 answer.
Tom Ramsey: Piedmont’s City Council adopted reach codes that build on the State’s Energy Code by requiring electrification and energy efficiency measures for new construction and existing residential building renovations. It’s important to note that REACH codes that are related to energy efficiency must prove to be cost-effective and show that money saved from the reduced energy costs will cover the initial cost of installation over a reasonable amount of time.
Piedmont’s webpage lists incentives currently available to homeowners for building electrification. The city could also consider some additional incentives to make building electrification easier such as fast-tracking the permit process and waiving permit fees with “over-the-counter” approvals for electric conversion work or heat pump installations and increasing our public outreach to local architects, contractors, and homeowners. However, the first cost of electrification is only one of the barriers to homeowners making these investments, other barriers include a lack of information on how to evaluate and implement efficiency, storage, PV, and electrification options. Piedmont, perhaps in conjunction with organizations such as Piedmont Connect, can help fill this information gap.
Question 4: Piedmont is known for its tree-lined streets, parks and historic homes, all of which support mature, healthy native tree specimens. Piedmont may be the only Bay Area municipality without a tree ordinance to preserve the important public-benefits these biological assets provide.
Should the City adopt a tree ordinance that requires a permit and establishes reasonable criteria for the removal of healthy, mature native or non-invasive trees on municipal, PUSD, or private property?
Betsy Smegal Anderson: See Question 1 answer.
Nancy Bostrom-Fleming: Piedmont could benefit from a tree ordinance. They are beautiful and healthful when of the right type in the right place and destructive, sidewalk bulging, sewer-destroying, fire spreading and house anniliating, view blocking when neglected and out of control. During torrential rains, or whenever the mood hits them they fall down and crush anything in their way. Some in Piedmont have a root ball 10 feer across and can cost $50,000.00 to remove. Every night while we are sleeping, they are, cell by cell, silently lifting our sidewalks up from a horizontal position. I am a tree hugger and appreciate but I think anything that has the power to help burn down 3,500 houses as the naughty things did in our terrible firestorm should be studied and we should be pro-active in this.
I have spent time in Africa and Hong Kong and almost 100 other countries and seen the results of rampant population expansion and meat eating on human life and wildlife and and have seen the Thames and Ganges when unbelievably filthy. I have seen in London as a child a "pea-souper" where the sky at noon was as dark as night. I played in the ruins after WW II after people decided to fight it out over resources and living space and have seen the hi-rise cage apartments of Hong Kong; each human cage apartment 6 feet x 4 ft. by 4 feet high: yes, each "condo" has 24 square feet. Google: cage apartments, Hong Kong. I never thought I would see the splendor and the squalor of 3rd world countries in Oakland, 200 feet from our platinum border, but I was wrong. We can work on this together. I think I have the breadth of experience it takes to be an effective city council person as I have chosen, as a tiny child to be a vegetarian and my car is old enough to vote: a 2003 Toyota Prius, one of the first hybrids. Please vote for me. It may be a bumpy ride at times, but I think my views are in alignment with yours.
Bridget Harris: Healthy trees in Piedmont are necessary to reduce air and noise pollution. Trees contribute to the image of our city. We should protect and improve these resources in a cohesive manner; both on city land and private land. There should be an overall community tree management program; possibly using a volunteer committee of arborists who can advise the city with respect to trees on public land and be a source that residents can use for help on private property. The city should systematically evaluate trees on municipal and PUSD land. Many trees have been routinely pruned to accommodate utility wires to the detriment of the health and structure of the tree. The city should first focus on its own biological assets. During the 35 years I have lived in Piedmont I have rarely seen clearcutting of trees by private property owners; instead owners that remove a tree usually replace it with a healthier or native tree. I would not impose more restrictions on homeowners.
Jeanne Solnordal: I absolutely support an ordinance to protect healthy trees. Any tree that will be cut down should be approved by the city prior to removal. This should not apply to a trim of 6 feet or less. I have heard of people removing beautiful trees simply for a better view. Hopefully this will stop the assault on our green and living trees. There should only be only a nominal fee, $25-50.00 to cover administrative costs. If the fee is too high, people will simply continue to cut down trees without permission. Fines could be imposed but often you can only speculate as to who cut down the tree. Make the process simple and fast.
Jennifer Long: See Question 1 answer.
Tom Ramsey: We have a wonderful urban tree canopy in our town that provides an overwhelming benefit to residents. So, how do we preserve and maintain our tree-lined streets?
Tree Maintenance and Protection on Public Property: A local Landscape Architect told me that there are over 90 different species of trees in Piedmont and most of our street trees are non-native exotic species. There are some existing protections and ongoing maintenance in place for trees on public property. Chapter 3 in our City Code provides some guidance, Piedmont’s Heritage Tree Program was developed to identify notable trees and our public works department is currently inventorying all trees in Piedmont to improve our comprehensive tree maintenance program.
Tree Maintenance and Protection on Private Property: Just like Piedmont has the largest per capita supply of historic housing in the State of California: but no historic code, we also have a beautiful urban tree canopy and no tree ordinance. I think there is justification for this approach in Piedmont. Not all communities have a tree or native tree ordinances and the towns with tree ordinances can charge +/- $400 for a permit, take 5 weeks to process a permit, and include an appeal process that could extend the 5-week schedule. Managing this program will require additional staff time, increase our administrative costs, and force the city into an enforcement role for neighbor-to-neighbor disputes. The city does have a tree view ordinance in place and new construction, or major remodels are required to submit a landscape plan conforming with Bay-Friendly landscape requirements for planning commission review. What the City could do is provide homeowners with information about the importance of the city’s trees and provide support for maintaining and perhaps increasing the number of native tree species in town.
PUSD: The city does not have jurisdiction to regulate trees or any development on the grounds of the Piedmont Unified School District.
School Board Candidates
Question 1: Would you be in favor of a board resolution for all PUSD students K-12 to learn about the impacts of climate change and actions they can take to reduce the impacts? If so, how would you garner support to pass such a learning requirement and curriculum adjustment?
Shirley Hooi: Did not submit answer.
Ruchi Medhekar: I think it is important for students to learn about climate change and what they can do to reduce those impacts. Ideally it would be included in the science curriculum versus a separate curriculum. The range of topics and study is different across different age groups and grade levels and as a result likely requires different approaches. Some ideas could be to have an earth day celebration at the K-5 level, to incorporate it into a sustainability-focused science fair targeted at the middle school and high schools, and to incorporate it into a class that teaches students how to evaluate and understand climate-related data, like I suggested in a recent Piedmont Post question response.
Lindsay Thomasson: That climate change is happening is undeniable. Our children and future generations will bear the impact of decisions we make now. Internationally, young people are demanding climate action. One study found that if only 16 percent of high school students in high- and middle-income countries were to receive climate change education, we could see a nearly 19 gigaton reduction of carbon dioxide by 2050.
In a recent Piedmont Post response about classes I would like to explore adding to our PHS/MHS course offerings, I included a number of environment-focused classes, including: design for sustainability; climate change and climate action; and environmental economics. However, with our PHS science program already struggling, and with our elementary teachers in the process of implementing a new science curriculum, I am not confident that the district has the bandwidth to add another science curricular mandate at this time. I also believe that top-down mandates are rarely as effective as creating classes that students want to take. Instead of passing a learning requirement, we should be tapping into and supporting students’ desire to learn about a subject on their own.
Additionally, we should be looking not only at what we can do to make Piedmont more sustainable, but also what we can do to educate and provide opportunities for students to pursue careers in sustainability in the future. These career paths can include finance, corporate roles, even production. Educating students about the various career paths for sustainability, will help increase demand for classes in this field.
I also encourage community groups, like Piedmont Connect, to work in conjunction with our schools, whether by providing opportunities for hands-on learning at the elementary level or providing internships and other aligned opportunities at the secondary level. It would be incredible for Piedmont Connect to organize an Earth Day celebration in our community with hands-on exhibits and other opportunities for the community to learn more about sustainability initiatives in Piedmont and how we as a community can lean in to support these initiatives. As a School Board member I would enthusiastically support community partnerships to help achieve shared objectives.
Question 2: What actions will you take to establish objectives and a concrete plan with a realistic timeline for transitioning to a zero-carbon school district in the next decade?
Shirley Hooi: Did not submit answer.
Ruchi Medhekar: I would partner with Piedmont Connect and other local community organizations on getting the best ideas on how to move the needle on this item. One benefit of our community is the number of experts that we have in town. If elected to school board and if my fellow school board members voted in agreement, we could create a task force comprised of community members to study this topic and draft a proposal. We could then work with district officials such as the incoming superintendent, our CFO, and our Director of Facilities, as well as PEF to plan for the infrastructure required to result in this outcome.
Lindsay Thomasson: This would be an excellent opportunity for PUSD to partner with local sustainability-oriented groups, including Piedmont Connect, to develop ideas to help us make that transition. Ultimately, we must have community buy-in for an initiative like this to be effective. Our students, as the ultimate stakeholders in our schools, should have a significant voice in how we achieve these goals.
As a School Board member, my job is to listen to community input, and help champion ideas and initiatives. I would welcome the opportunity to meet with Piedmont Connect members to discuss the organization's goals, objectives, and how you envision the transition to a zero-carbon school district. I do not have a background in sustainability or environmental sciences and thus do not feel that I have the expertise necessary to present a concrete plan or timeline for achieving a net-zero school district.
This is also an area where we should look beyond Piedmont. We are fortunate to have ample green spaces in our city while many of our neighboring communities do not. There is abundant evidence about the benefit of green spaces - how could we partner with schools in Oakland to help them build gardens or develop green spaces for their communities? This would be an opportunity to get a number of community support groups together to achieve shared goals.
Question 3: PHS/MHS Green Club students raised over $60K towards solar panels on the new STEAM building. What are some of your ideas to raise the $400K plus funds needed to complete this project?
Shirley Hooi: Did not submit answer.
Ruchi Medhekar: I am not very knowledgeable about how to raise money for solar panels specifically, but I would follow an approach that I would use in my professional life to address this. First I would learn more about the topic by talking to experts in the area. Ideally we could partner with different sources of money to address the gap. For example, there are funds from the state of California that allow for capital improvement and infrastructure projects in schools. I imagine that there are grants that we could apply for that could help us achieve this objective. I know that there are solar incentives included in the Build Back Better bill that was recently passed - perhaps pushing for adoption of solar panels in our houses could actually help reduce our town's energy footprint. Ultimately we want to move our city's footprint to sustainable sources of energy, and it may turn out that the fastest path is not at school sites but rather at individual homes.
Lindsay Thomasson: It is very unfortunate that the solar panels were removed from the STEAM building due to budget cuts. I am extremely impressed with the $60K the students have raised thus far. As there are currently many initiatives vying for community support in Piedmont, the Green Club should look at some outside-the-box ideas for funding the remaining $400K+ for the solar panels.
One option is to look at grant funds to pay for at least some of the cost of the solar panels. Are there state funds? Federal funds? Local corporations that may be willing to make a grant? Whereas many grants are designated for low income schools, sustainability needs to occur where the infrastructure exists - Piedmont has that infrastructure in our new STEAM building. Another idea is to identify an individual donor who would provide a matching or challenge grant. For example, if the students were able to come up with $200K (perhaps through a grant as suggested above), the donor would match funds raised.
Question 4: How will you support the district to ensure compliance with SB 1383, the state law requiring the prevention, reduction, recycling and recovery of organic waste?
Shirley Hooi: Did not submit answer.
Ruchi Medhekar: This is something I think is really achievable in our schools because it is a change in behavior. When I was in elementary school, California was in a drought, and we were taught ways to conserve water - for example, by shutting off the tap while we brush our teeth, or by taking very fast showers. These types of behavior spread within households and are still things that I and other people that went to school at the same time as I did have continued today. Combining education and having signs and reminders up near lunch areas will go a long way to reduce our organic waste. This could be doubly enforced by selecting a vendor for universal breakfast and lunch that has a similar commitment to using compostable materials. In classrooms, we already have recycling containers - ensuring that students understand how and when to use them is important, and could be driven by clubs at the middle and high school, or by staff and the Green Team at the elementary level.
Lindsay Thomasson: It would be interesting to conduct an environmental audit of our schools to determine what steps we could take to reduce our footprint. The World Wildlife Fund has a free tool that allows students to conduct an environmental audit and more detailed pathway audits of their school. An audit would help us to understand where our strengths and challenges exist so that we can develop a more robust plan to address them.
Organics like food scraps, yard trimmings, paper, and cardboard make up half of what Californians dump in landfills. With the new universal school lunch program, we have a unique opportunity to ensure that all materials used in the production of our school lunches are compostable. Using both reusable and/or compostable materials while preparing and serving students is essential at helping to meet the objectives of this law. Moreover, ensuring that our janitorial staff are recycling all cardboard boxes, paper, and other recyclables at every opportunity should further help us to achieve this goal.
Photo courtesy of Brontë Wittpenn/The San Francisco Chronicle
Question 5: Transportation is one of the largest elements of Piedmont’s in-boundary greenhouse gas emissions inventory. Many parents drive students to and from our schools which are a mile or less from their homes. What will you do to reduce car traffic and miles traveled to-and-from our schools in gas-powered vehicles?
Shirley Hooi: Did not submit answer.
Ruchi Medhekar: I think one reason why people are driven to school is because they are running late. Having a compelling universal breakfast can help attract students to school earlier than usual, which might lead to an increased amount of walking and/or biking. Another idea might be to partner with the PE and gym teachers to ensure that students understand the benefit of increased activity, and that one easy way to accomplish this is by walking to school. This behavior could be changed through a combination of education of the impact of driving as well as awareness of the benefit of walking/biking.
Lindsay Thomasson: The reasons parents drive their students to and from school are varied. However, as I have discussed this issue with parents, I have heard significant concerns about traffic safety around our schools: improving traffic safety around our schools will be critical in convincing parents that it is safe for their students to walk to school.
Last year, when I served on the Havens Traffic Safety Committee, one idea that surfaced was walking school buses, where parents pool together and take turns walking students to and from school. This would provide additional safety and convenience to families who would like for their students to walk to school but are not confident that it is safe for them to do so on their own. It is also a lot more fun and community-building for students to walk in groups.
Another common reason that parents drive their kids to and from school is the need to get them quickly to after school activities. Bringing back charter buses, like those that took students to Highlands soccer practices in Alameda before the pandemic, is another option that should be considered to reduce miles traveled to and from school. Additionally, we should consider adding secure bike racks around our campuses and encourage students, particularly those who live further from school, to bike to school.
Finally, this is an excellent community education opportunity. While many in Piedmont are environmentally-minded, we are all prone to choosing convenience over environmental-responsibility at times. Helping to educate the greater community about the impact of these choices, perhaps in conjunction with our high school Green Team, is an excellent first step towards reducing miles driven in town.