Shannon Shaw, candidate for Oakley City Council in the November 8, 2022, election recently visited CoCo Farms in Antioch, CA. She attended a visit to the cannabis distribution retail shop with the Rotary Club of Oakley. Me, I am strongly opposed to cannabis distribution is the City of Oakley.
Below is a link to a picture of their attendance.
George Fuller, MPA, MA
City Councilmember, City of Oakley, CA
An election tidbit about the Oakley Municipal Election – November 8, 2022. Adam Gerhart, a resident of District 4 (Summer Lake), has pulled papers to enable him to campaign for election as a write-in candidate.
I was informed that Jacob Shaw, wife of Shannon Shaw, also a City Council candidate from District 4, has filed for election for the Diablo Water District Board of Directors. No other candidate filed for election in his district, so Mr. Shaw will move on to the Water District Board of Directors dais. I am curious how the FPPC and Contra Costa District Attorney’s office will respond. Conflict of interest laws prevents one person from sitting on two different election positions simultaneously. I do not know how it will go with a married couple living in the same household regarding conflict-of-interest regulations.
There are two Rotary Club of Oakley members on the managing team of the Diablo Water District. Scott Pastor, who is a Director on the Board of Directors, and Dan Muelrath, Director of the water district.
George Fuller, MPA, MA
City Councilmember, City of Oakley, CA, City Council
Oakley must resolve Laurel and O’Hara. The traffic bottleneck at the intersection is untenable. Laurel has extended West beyond the 160 and thus increased the traffic flow on Laurel. In my perception, the bottleneck is unsafe for the community and a liability for the City.
I have asked several times from the dais to seek eminent domain to purchase the property to expand Laurel. Yet, the City Manager, Josh McMurray, has not placed the item on the agenda. I think some council members oppose taking the property at the intersection to facilitate the widening of Laurel, which would enhance the safety of everyone in our community.
Oakley will elect two new council members for Oakley on November 8, 2022. Now would be the time to learn which candidate(s) favor expanding Laurel at the intersection, using eminent domain to purchase the property.
George Fuller, MPA, MA
City Councilmember, City of Oakley, CA
Oakley District 4 will have an election November 8, 2022. The Oakley City Council voted unanimously to have an election for the District 4 council member. The election will take place on November 8, 2022. Currently, there is only one candidate, Ms. Shannon Shaw. However, there will be a spot of the ballot that will allow the elector to write-in a candidate. I a District 4 resident would like to campaign to have electors write-in their names the person must file a candidate petition with the City Clerk starting September 12, 2022 (next Monday). Now would be the time for a person to become a write-in to contact the City Clerk to begin the journey.
George Fuller, MPA, MA
City Councilmember, City of Oakley, CA
Yes, I will not vote for a Shannon Shaw appointment to the City Council representing District 4. This coming Thursday evening I will support the American Tradition of a write-in candidate ballot entry on the Oakley City Council election. A quirk in the new legislation from Sacramento (one of so many these days) allows a City Council to bypass an election and appoint a person to the council if no other person is filing for the position during a City Wide election. The new law would allow the Oakley City Council to appoint Ms. Shaw directly to the dais, bypassing the electorate in District 4 of the City.
As we all know, the American Culture allows a person to become a write-in candidate if they disagree with Ms. Shaw’s appointment to the council dais. The American Way is that Ms. Shaw’s name would appear on the ballot along with a write-in candidate space. A similar situation recently arose during Assemblymember Lori Wilson’s election to the State Assembly. Ms. Wilson’s name appeared on the ballot, and a challenger from Brentwood did mount a write-in campaign against her, although unsuccessfully.
Ms. Shaw’s recent membership in the Rotary Club of Oakley is a significant concern. Currently, Joshua McMurray, City Manager, is a member of the Rotary Club of Oakley, as is Councilmember Aaron Meadows. Hugh Henderson, an election candidate for the City Council in District 2, is a member of the Rotary Club of Oakley. If Ms. Shaw is appointed to the council and Mr. Henderson wins his election bid, three Oakley City Council members and the Oakley City Manager would sit in during the Club meetings where discussions of City business takes place. Combining the four in the Rotary Club of Oakley violates the Brown Act of California in my opinion. In addition, the circumstances are in place for an Oakley cabal to form. I have attached a copy of an article about the difficulties Anaheim experienced with a cabal.
My experience with the Rotary Club of Oakley was not pleasant. Bryan Montgomery, the then City Manager of Oakley, and David Wahl, a resident of Brentwood, formed the Club, and I became a member. When I announced I was running for election to the City Council, I received information concerning Mr. Montgomery’s behavior as City Manager, especially concerning an infamous relationship with his Assistant to the City Manager, Nancy Marquez. I published the report. David Wahl, along with Vera Martinez, a Brentwood resident and president of the Club at the time, demanded I retract the information, saying it was not true of Mr. Montgomery. The two threatened me with Club sanctions if I did not remove the information. I did not squish to their oppressive and authoritarian demands, and the two removed me, along with the support of Club members, from membership in the Club. Now it is readily apparent that Bryan Mongomery’s conduct as City Manager left something to be desired, and, yes, a relationship with Ms. Marquez true.
During this time, Mr. Montgomery hired Dean Capeletti as Chief of Police. Mr. Capeletti became a member of the Rotary Club of Oakley. Within two weeks of Mr. Capeletti’s arrival in Oakley, Mr. Capeletti established he was a philanderer. He did so by forming a sexual liaison with one of his subordinates. Fortunately, Mr. McMurray dealt with Mr. Capellti’s conduct, and Mr. Capeletti is no longer a community member. There is no doubt in my mind that Mr. Wahl, and other Rotary Club members of Oakley, will attempt to intimidate Mr. McMurray, along with Shaw, Meadows, or Henderson, if they do not follow “the will of Rotary.”
I firmly believe the members of District 4 should be allowed to choose their council member come November 8, 2022. That District 4 residents have an opportunity to consider the above and see if they agree with Ms. Shaw being on the council dais. I will vote to keep Ms. Shaw’s name on the ballot. It is the American Way.
Now would be time to contact other City Council members to voice your opinions on the appointment of Ms. Shaw to the dais.
https://fullerforoakley.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/cabal-in-Anaheim-3.pdf
Allegations paint picture of influential cabal in Anaheim politics – Orange County Register (ocregister.com)
George Fuller, MPA, MA
City Councilmember, City of Oakley, CA
During tomorrow night’s Oakley City Council meeting, I will ask the housing element to be changed. I think the council should designate the Southwest corner of Laurel Rd and O’Hara Avenue for affordable housing, in place of 901 East Cypress Road. I understand the owner of the vacant lot on the S/W corner is the same owner of Laurel Plaza. The empty lot owner desires to build affordable housing on the location, and I cannot see any reason to deny him the opportunity to do so.
The area East of Main St and South of East Cypress Rd has a disproportionate number of affordable housing locations. I oppose the concentration of affordable housing in one area of the city. Doing so segregates the population by income level rather than creating an inclusive community throughout the city neighborhoods. Now would be a good time to let all council members know of your thoughts regarding the affordable housing issue.
George Fuller, MPA, MA
City Councilmember, City of Oakley, CA
The City of Oakley’s City Council meeting has an interesting item to be reviewed. It is the housing report regarding affordable. As you are aware, the state is demanding that cities ensure the construction of affordable housing within their boundaries. The housing element plan provides a blueprint for the future construction of affordable housing.
I am concerned. A disproportionate number of locations to build affordable housing are in what is now District 5 of the new city council districts. The essential boundaries of District 5 are everything East of Main Street and South of East Cypress Road.
Below is the URL to the draft proposal. A review of the locations will show many more affordable homes built in District 5. The situation is in addition to many new homes under construction in District 5. An example is the 57 new homes designated for the area around Creekside Park.
Also, I am concerned about the presentation of the draft proposal. The housing element draft states clearly that the draft would be considered in July by the Planning Commission and again by the City Council. City staff says that was an administrative mistake. I brought it to the attention of City Staff that we should postpone the item, which responded with a convoluted explanation, similar to what the City heard during the “Montgomery regime,” as to why the Council could review the draft in July. I disagreed with their conclusions. I will work to table the draft until August so all people in the City, especially District 5, can respond adequately.
Now would be the time to let the other council members know your opinions on the housing draft.
Oakley 2023-2031 Housing Element Update (legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com)
George Fuller, MPA, MA
Councilmember, City of Oakley, CA
A quick note to publicly commend the Oakley City Staff, especially Oakley’s finance officer Tim Przybyla, for an extraordinarily outstanding budget presentation for Oakley 2022-2023. Mr. Przybyla segmented the budget into three sections so that all could easily understand how the City allocates its money. I cannot say enough good words about my appreciation of the effort.
A link to a copy is below.
The Community Improvement Projects (CIPs) were detailed. Among the items slated for completion are shade canopies for the Koda Dog Park, a functional air conditioning unit for the senior center, a widening of Laurel Road at O’Hara Av, and a signal at Main St and Delta Rd. Yes, there were many other projects listed.
I did balk at the 6.5 million dollars allocated for the parking lot with an adjoining road across the street from City Hall. I moved the 6.5 million dollars move to a library construction account. The motion died for lack of a second from my colleagues, including two who have publicly supported a tax increase to build a new Oakley Library (Williams and Higgins).
Also, I explained my distaste that Oakley had allocated $50,000.00 for ADA improvements when the City is 100 million dollars in arrears for ADA compliance.
I did suggest that Oakley have an annual Juneteenth celebration, which Mayor Randy Pope supported. I do anticipate the event will begin next year. Below is a link to a San Francisco Chronicle article by Dr. Mary J. Wardell-Ghirarduzzi, vice-president for diversity, equity, and inclusion, at the University of the Pacific, sharing her perceptions of Juneteenth.
George Fuller, MPA, MA
City Councilmember, City of Oakley, CA
A quick reminder – Oakley can finance a library. The forthcoming budget will be discussed on Tuesday night, June 14, during the Oakley City Council meeting. I will be advocating moving 6.5 million dollars for the construction of a parking lot and road downtown to a library construction fund. The plan is for the parking lot to be directly across Main Street from City Hall, an ideal place, in my mind, to construct a new library.
Now would be the time to contact Oakley council members to inform them of your views concerning the reallocation of the money. The most effective manner to present your case in this matter is to be at the Council Meeting, which begins at 6:30 p.m., to speak to your concerns.
Below is a link to the budget document:
George Fuller, MPA, MA
City Councilmember, City of Oakley, CA
Oakley does have a way to finance a library. The City is reviewing its annual budget. The review of the budget involves Capital Improvement Projects (CIPs). One proposed project is 6.5 million dollars for a downtown parking lot and a road along the railroad tracks. The project intends to provide parking for those who might use the train for transportation. I am opposed to the project.
My thoughts are to move the 6.5 million dollars from the parking lot and adjoining road to a fund dedicated to building an Oakley library. The location devoted to the parking lot downtown would be an ideal location for an Oakley Library in my mind.
The Planning Commission is considering the matter this coming Tuesday, June 7, at 6:30 P.M. The commission welcomes your input. Either attend the commission meeting or contact the commission by emailing them at info@ci.oakley.ca.us.
The council will review the matter on June 14 at their meeting at 6:30 P.M. Now is the time to voice your opinion on spending the 6.5 million dollars to your council members. The best way to bring the matter to the council’s attention is to attend the meeting at City Hall.
Below is a URL to the proposed CIPs.
George Fuller, MPA, MA
City Councilmember, City of Oakley