VOLUME LII, NUMBER 23 Your Local News Source Since 1963 SERVING DUBLIN • LIVERMORE • PLEASANTON • SUNOL THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 Council Votes to Halt Eastside Pleasanton Planning Process The Pleasanton City ing. The resolutoin would discussion. began in 2012 with the ap- boundary to accommodate Find Out What's Council rescinded its deci- address stopping both the Councilmember Karla pointment of a task force. growth. In addition, it was sion to hold an advisory planning and environmental Brown wanted to make sure Last August, the task force pointed out that the city Happening vote on the East Pleasanton review process and disband- that the discussions would removed all multi-family does not need to zone the Specific Plan process this ing the task force. There include the urban growth housing and reduced the area for housing. It currently Check Out Section A coming November 2015. would be no parameters boundary and traffic. potential number of units in has enough land to meet its Section A is filled with information about arts, A staff report listing a on when the process might Councilmember Kathy the preferred plan from 1759 regional housing needs as- people, entertainment and cost of between $494,844 resume. The eastside plan- Narum agreed that there are to 1300. sessment (RHNA) numbers special events. There are to $618,555 for the special ning would become part of a lot of questions that need Issues raised by members through 2022. education stories, a variety election convinced the coun- the council's priority setting to be answered including of the public during the pro- Mayor Jerry Thorne of features, and the arts and cil to change its mind. process. water, transportation fund- cess include the availability stated that given the new entertainment and bulletin The vote was 4 to 0 to Issues raised over the ing, public sentiment, and of water, school overcrowd- information, "I think one board. bring back a resolution at past several years would be schools. ing, traffic, and the need thing we can agree on is that the council's June 16 meet- part of the priority setting The eastside planning to move the urban growth (See EASTSIDE, page 4) Ahmadi to Parking Garage, Become New Council Castro Valley Chambers Superintendent Added to List Parvin Ahmadi will leave this month as superintendent Of Projects of the Pleasanton Unified The Livermore City School District to become Council agreed to include superintendent of the Cas- funds to design a new park- tro Valley School District ing garage in the downtown July 1. and a new council chambers Ahmadi made the an- where the old library was nouncement last week in an located in the capital im- e-mail to district members. provement program (CIP). She was contacted about the The determination on coming retirement of Castro construction of the two fa- Valley Superintendent Jim cilities would be made at a Negri, who was an assistant later date, when the council superintendent in Pleasanton has more information on an a few years ago. asset management program. Ahmadi has served The council discussed the Pleasanton for five years. potential to fund the garage and chambers during a bud- Previously she was an as- get workshop last Monday sistant superintendent in the that included both the op- Fremont School District. erating budget and the CIP. Ahmadi said that the The budget covers a two change was not an easy year period from 2015-2017. decision for her. "I have The council direction absolutely loved serving called for staff to provide a the Pleasanton community policy that at the first bud- for the last five years. I am, get update in September, however, very excited about that would deal with one- Photo - Doug Jorgensen starting a new journey in time requests. These could Castro Valley, a wonderfully Valley View Elementary School's PTA hosted its annual Multi Cultural Fair on Friday, May 29 at the Pleasanton include a sunshade for the diverse school district serv- School. Each class performed either a song or dance from a particular country. There were booths representing plaza stage in front of the ing preschool to adults," said the traditions, games and food from many countries. Special guest performances were provided by other schools. Ahmadi. (See PROJECTS, page 5) "I look forward to work- ing with another stellar team of educators and a wonder- Delay Water Slides to Open Diamond Park, Say East Dubliners ful team of trustees who have a deep commitment to The Dublin City Council borhoods told the coun- cil shifted money to other no back yards in which to Fallon Village," including educating all children. Being approved an update of the cil May 19 that since the park priorities, and delayed play, so they have to play on the future Amador Elemen- in Alameda County, I hope city's park and recreation drought's end is unknown, the Diamond opening until asphalt, said one speaker. "I tary School. to find opportunities for facilities plan, and heard it's better to re-prioritize 2020. don't know why the builders Andrew ShamRao said collaboration between our residents ask for a delay Sean Diamond Park, so Approximately a half- built like that," he added. that he represents 100 peti- districts," added Ahmadi. in Emerald Glen Water children will have a place dozen speakers said that Positano Ranch resident tion signers. He said that Park construction until the to play. Diamond would be across Joy Ward said, "Diamond people are working on water Ahmadi described the drought is over. Sean Diamond Park had the street from a school, and Park is not really a 'want conservation above state top achievement during her Residents in the Jordan been projected to open in is very much needed there. it.' It is a need for all of our goals, but Dublin is mov- (See AHMADI, page 4) Ranch and Positano neigh- 2016. However, the coun- Further, many children have community, and for all of (See DUBLIN, page 10) Talk On Visitor Center, Sunshade for Versatile Plaza Stage Among Amenities Detector Suggested for Funding To Identify Adding a sunshade to the the economy. He said that Disease Germs plaza in front of the Bank- requests for funding for the A versatile detector be- head Theater, revamping the two could be considered in ing developed at Lawrence Bankhead Theater lobby to the fall as supplemental re- Livermore National Labora- accommodate a visitor cen- quests, along with health and tory to identify virtually any ter, and moving ahead with human services that have pathogen will be discussed a hotel/conference center not been funded through next Wednesday evening at a were among the items pro- grants. posed for funding by those regular meeting of the Valley Councilmember Bob speaking during a Liver- Woener said that items pro- Study Group at Castlewood more City Council budget posed during the public Country Club in Pleasanton. workshop on Monday. hearing should be part of the The detector is called The council workshop conversation. The canopy the Livermore Laboratory reviewed the 2015-2017 and visitor center both seem Microbial Detection Array. budget and capital improve- very compelling. Speaker will be Thomas ment program (CIP) on Councilmember Steven Slezak, a Distinguished Staff Monday. Spedowfski said he agreed Member at the Laboratory There was no action with a lot he had heard, add- TK teacher Robin Loos (back, left), Amy Robbins from the Livermore School District who is extending lessons taken to include proposals ing that both the sunshade and Mayor John Marchand pose with SPROUTS during the annual Livermorium learned in the Human Ge- made by members of the had visitor center are worthy celebration. Photo - Julie Russell, LLNL nome Project to the detec- public in the CIP. How- projects. tor’s development. ever, the council did support Mayor John Marchand The event begins at 7 p.m. looking at funding for the said that the visitor center Slezak notes that interna- sunshade and visitor center should be considered as an Future Scientists Recognized tional travel and the threat of during the first revise, 90 opportunity to bring people Young scientists were the come together to celebrate na, Russia collaborated for terrorism have increased the days after the budget be- into the downtown. focus of Livermore's annual the sciences, technology, over ten years and success- range of pathogens to which comes effective on July 1. Councilmember Laureen Livermorium celebration. engineering and math as fully created a new element, we may be exposed. He will Councilmember Stewart Turner commented that all of The event, held last Fri- we recognize the creation Livermorium. Gary suggested that the discuss the need for the U.S. the proposals related to the day, took place at Livermo- of element 116. Scientists "Livermore is one of only city consider the plaza as Bankhead were great. to break away from a single- part of the community and rium Plaza at Mill Square. from Lawrence Livermore 6 cities in the world to have disease focus, such as was Lynn Seppala, who has Mayor John Marchand com- National Laboratory and the distinction of having an the visitor center as part of (See AMENITIES, page 5) recently directed toward Eb- mented, "This is the day we the Flerov Institute in Dub- (See LIVERMORIUM, page 2) ola. He will also talk about obstacles to incorporating technological advances to PET OF THE WEEK pathogen identification into Inside O'Kittie is a talkative, active 2-year-old who can the U.S. health system. jump right in the busy mix of a big family! The Reservations and advance SECTION A Editorial..............................4 grey tuxedo likes a lot of attention and has tons payment of $32 per person Art & Entertainment.........