PIEDMONT – Over the past few years, the city has experienced several key department head’s retirements, elections won and lost, the departure of a controversial mayor and a years long conflict over installation of cell antennas in town.
Here is a sampling of newsworthy events since 2013.
January, 2013
Co-founder of the Harvest Festival and member of the Piedmont Education Foundation board Bill Drum passes away. He is mourned by residents, including his neighborhood where two blocks lined the sidewalk with luminaires in his memory. The Bill Drum learnscape was created in his memory at Piedmont Middle School.
September, 2013
Former Piedmont resident “4wheel Bob” tries to be the first person to cross the Sierra Nevada in a specially equipped wheelchair. KCOM staffer Tal Skloot created a documentary film about the resolute Bob Coomber, who was ultimately unsuccessful after several attempts. Coomber, a juvenile diabetic, became disabled in 1990 but continues to hike and give talks about the wonders of nature.
September, 2013
U.S. Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens was remembered with naming the high school library in his name with tributes by his surviving family. A Piedmont High alumnus, Stevens was killed by insurgents in Benghazi in 2012; the reason for the attack was unknown.
January, 2014
Former Oregon city manager Paul Benoit is hired as City Administrator following the retirement of Geoff Grote
June, 2014
Piedmont voters defeat a $13.5 million theater bond to finance renovations to Alan Harvey Theater. The school district goes back to the drawing board.
July, 2014
Eagle Scout and Piedmont High graduate Cole Becker raises $60,000 in private funds for his Eagle project to build a footbridge at Dracena Park.
August, 2014
Sara Lillevand was chosen as new recreation department Director from a pool of 50 applicants following the retirement of Mark Delventhal in 2013. She was director of athletics at Cal State East Bay and earlier worked at UC-Davis and Wellesley College. She was educated at Stanford and UC-Davis and holds a master of science in physical therapy from Boston University.
November, 2015
Longtime staffers planning Director Kate Black and Parks and Project Manager Mark Feldkamp retire and bid farewell at a party in their honor.
February, 2016
Piedmont settles suit with Harris & Associates, one of two firms sued by the city for alleged breach of contract related to the Piedmont Hills Underground Assessment District.
November, 2016
Former San Jose police Capt. Jeremy Bowers is hired as new police chief following the retirement of Rikki Goede.
January, 2017
Former Piedmont Mayor and council member Margaret Fujioka is sworn in as a county judge after she won an uncontested race in June, 2016.
March, 2017
Heather Frank is hired as new executive Director of Piedmont Education Foundation following the resignation of Susan Terrill, who served the organization for 11 months.
March, 2017
School board unanimously approves lengthening kindergartener’s day to 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Piedmont’s three elementary schools, supported by teachers.
May, 2017
The Piedmont Unified School District lays out a plan to address hate and racism following on campus reports by KTVU Channel 2 alleging racist, homophobic, anti-Semitic and other slurs and actions that were directed at some students at Piedmont and Millennium high schools.
August, 2017
Acting Mayor Bob McBain asks disgraced mayor Jeff Wieler to resign from the City Council following community outrage over media postings allegedly made by Wieler that were deemed racist and hateful. Wieler said he was just expressing opinions made by others; he took down his Facebook page. He moved to Athens, GA in September, 2019.
September, 2018
Piedmont creates an interactive Wall of Honor at Piedmont High’s library to honor the city’s military and foreign service members, paying tribute to PHS alumnus and U.S. Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens, who was killed at the Libyan embassy in Benghazi in 2012.
February, 2019
A fundraiser in honor of winning Piedmont High tennis coach Corey Reich was held to raise money for renovations at the city tennis courts. Reich was stricken with ALS in 2008, but he continues to inspire youth at the high school.
May, 2019
Recreation Director Sara Lillevand was named City Administrator to replace the retiring Paul Benoit.
September, 2019
Nicole Casalnuovo was named juvenile officer for the Piedmont Unified School District, where she will oversee programs and issues involving youth vaping, behavior and other issues. The school board did not want a school resource officer located on campus.
November, 2019
Measures G and H overwhelmingly passed by Piedmont voters in a special election to renew a school parcel tax and use Measure H funds to enhance teacher’s salaries.
November, 2019
City Council approves installation of 17 cell sites by Crown Castle as settlement of a lawsuit filed by Crown. Less intrusive designs and equipment were developed by Crown, to be installed in city rights-of-way despite vigorous objections by many residents.
