Clayton to vote on updated fee schedule

Aug. 15

I hope everyone had a happy and safe 4th of July this year. I want to thank city staff and volunteers for putting on a wonderful parade event for the whole town to enjoy.

Speaking of events in town, the Concerts in The Grove series takes place every other Saturday through Sept. 16. Concerts start at 6 p.m.

While our leaders on the national scene may be lacking in collegiality, the same is not true here in Pleasant Hill.

Our five-member City Council is diverse in thought but truly homogeneous in the desire to be smart stewards of the city. Our decisions are informed by the input we receive from city staff and from you, the residents.

Since I began my public service here in Pleasant Hill, I have worked hard to increase

I find it confounding that hundreds of people will provide comment on a neighbor’s non-conforming fence but only a dozen weigh in on a significant change in the way Pleasant Hill will govern itself.

Commencing with the November 2024 General Election, Pleasant Hill will elect council members by electoral districts and no longer citywide (at-large). In response to a request that the city transition to the by-district election system, the council adopted a five-district map. In November 2024, residents of three districts (1, 2 and 5) will be electing new council members

To view the approved district map and see where the district boundary lines are drawn, go to www.pleasanthillca.org/districts and click on Map #5.

This change in how we elect our representatives is expected to result in a more diverse council. My hope is that this new council will continue to follow the common principle that has guided past councils and forms the bedrock unity of our city. The City Council is first and foremost committed to retaining our small town feel while encouraging much-needed housing and measured growth to ensure that the city’s eco-

In addition to changes in the City Council, longtime City Manager June Catalano retired June 16 after nearly 17 years of tireless service. We are grateful to June for her dedication to our city and for the tremendous staff she assembled during her tenure, including Ethan Bindernagel, our former Community Development manager and assistant city manager. The council unanimously selected Ethan from a list of qualified candidates to succeed June, and we know that the city will continue to be well-managed by Ethan. His familiarity with

See Flaherty, page 7

And just around the corner on Aug. 1, the Clayton Police Department is hosting National Night Out. This is an event held across the country to bring together community members and local law enforcement. It is a time to have some food, music and be together with our police, who serve and protect us, and come together as neighbors throughout the community. The event will be 6-9 p.m. in the upper lot at Clayton Community Park.

These city-sponsored community events are wonderful, but the work of the city does not stop. Recently, we held a special meeting to address questions relating to the proposed update to our Master Fee Schedule. Ultimately, the City Council engaged a consultant to assess the adequacy of our Master Fee Schedule and