Roundup of 2016’s biggest stories
As the year draws to a close, plans are in limbo for a senior residential facility and more commercial space on Main Street.
Meanwhile, Clayton residents gathered downtown throughout the year to splash in the Grove’s new water feature, honor the late Skip Ipsen with a bocce tournament and indulge at a wildly popular Rib Cook-off.
The town also rallied for cancer in a double play of a reformatted Clayton Roundup along with the annual Relay for Life.
Here’s a look at the year’s top stories, in chronological order:
CVCHS settles legal challenges: In January, the board of Clayton Valley Charter High School announced that the suit with former administrator and charter drive leader Pat Middendorf had been settled in favor of the school. Middendorf agreed to drop the lawsuit and ask the court to rule in favor of CVCHS. She also said she would withdraw a separate Department of Fair Employment and Housing complaint, pay the charter $50,000 for attorney fees and court costs and forgo the opportunity to bring forward any other lawsuit.
That same night, the Contra Costa County Board of Education heard from county administrators as they closed an investigation of complaints made by stakeholders about CVCHS. An advisory report had listed 39 critical issues, and school officials had met with officials to review them. CVCHS directly responded to six issues by revising or clarifying issues in the student handbook and board policies. County staff expressed appreciation for “CVCHS’s willingness to collaboratively address these issues for the benefit of its students and stakeholders.”
Meanwhile, former CVCHS speech pathology instructor Laurie Arbour’s unfair labor practices claim to the Public Employment Relations Board was dismissed, and the school paid Arbour $5,000. Last year, a similar claim made by former teacher Tori Campbell was settled without any financial payment. The school says both matters concluded as “no fault.”
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North Peak preservation: Thanks to an agreement between Save Mount Diablo and landowners Steve and Brenda Benkly, the scenic North Peak Ranch will be preserved for generations to come. In January, Save Mount Diablo signed a 10-year option agreement to purchase 88.5 acres from Marsh Creek Road just east of Clayton onto the slopes of North Peak.
“We have Muir Woods in our backyard,” Steve Benkly said. “One area has big green ferns, vivid green moss and, during the winter months, a waterfall just a few hundred yards behind the house.”
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Woman of the year: In February, Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla (D-Concord) honored Clayton’s Collette Carroll as the 2016 Assembly District 14’s Woman of the Year. The award is for Carroll’s work with the California Reentry Institute, a nonprofit that prepares and supports men through the transition from prison.
Carroll created the program in 2008, after volunteering at San Quentin for years. She has a remarkable, zero percent recidivism rate for graduates.
“It’s not about me, it’s never been about me,” she said. “But what I had to come to understand was that this enables me to give a voice to the men who have worked so very hard to change and prepare to be an asset to society. Because the truth is, while we give them the tools, they are the ones who do the work.”
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Landscape upgrades: At the Feb. 16 City Council meeting, maintenance supervisor John Johnston presented conceptual designs for entry medians at the main subdivision entries and the eastern entry to the city on Marsh Creek Road. All of the designs incorporate a variety of hardscapes with water-saving features and drought-tolerant plants, saving existing trees and shrubs wherever possible. The designs, which the council approved 5-0, are similar in feel to the landscaping around the city fountain.
The city set aside $300,000 from the Clayton Landscape Maintenance District’s reserves for the project as they waited for improvement in drought conditions. However, no progress has been made on implementation since February because of a lack of contractors and the fact that other city projects became priorities.
The maintenance district funds all the city’s landscaping costs, except parks. In June, a ballot measure to renew the district’s parcel tax won more than 79 percent approval.
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Death of community leader: Lester “Skip” Ipsen, founder of Skipolini’s Pizza, died on March 18 after a long illness. He was one of the early founders of the Clayton Business and Professional Association, precursor to the Clayton Business and Community Association (CBCA).
“Skip was a businessman at heart,” said long-time friend Pete Laurence. “From the beginning, he pulled together a few other businesses to encourage a more pro-business environment.”
Later in life, Ipsen and his son Kent provided the land and significant funding for the Ipsen Family Bocce Park, which opened downtown in 2014. “My dad was an incredibly generous man with a deep sense of commitment to his community and who always did what he said would do,” Kent Ipsen said. “My favorite memory of my dad will always be working on the bocce park together.”
On Sept. 25, the Clayton Bocce Committee celebrated Ipsen’s contributions at a memorial bocce tournament.
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BBQ mania: In preparation for the August Rib Cook-off, nationally renowned barbecue judges Kelly McIntosh and his wife Kathleen prepped Clayton residents in the art of barbecue. The CBCA sponsored the May 21 judging class, put on by the Kansas City Barbecue Society.
“The national recognition and credibility this will lend to our annual CBCA Rib-Cook-off are immeasurable,” said Bob Steiner, the association’s president.
The Rib Cook-off heralded a new era for the Clayton competition, featuring 48 entries. The 2,500 rib aficionados who packed Main Street surpassed expectations. “We had food for 1,500 and ran out of everything,” reported event chair Rory Richmond.
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Making a splash – and a noise: After the drought left Clayton kids wanting in 2015, the Grove’s water feature sprang to life this summer. The new splasher replaces the feature installed when the park was built more than 10 years ago. It runs 8 a.m.-9 p.m. in the summer, except when it is shut off at 5 p.m. on concert days.
Meanwhile, when the park is closed, a high-frequency transmitter emits a buzzing sound audible mainly to teens. The kids find the sound unpleasant enough to move away from the gazebo, resulting in a corresponding reduction in vandalism. The city put transmitters at both the Grove and Lydia Lane Park, where graffiti had been a constant headache for city maintenance workers.
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Taking aim at cancer: This year’s Relay for Life is the city’s biggest success yet, raising more than $140,000 for cancer research. The 24-hour relay at Mt. Diablo Elementary on Aug. 13-14 followed a sold-out Roundup for Relay BBQ and dance at the Easley Ranch in June.
According to the American Cancer Society, Clayton has one of the major relay fundraisers in the state. “It’s pretty typical for relays to have extra fundraising events, but not on the scale of these guys,” said Grace Chang, Relay for Life community coordinator. “This was extraordinary.”
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Another Olympics for Ipsen: Clayton’s Kristian Ipsen, 23, was one of the veterans on the U.S. Olympic diving team for the Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro. Unfortunately, his dreams for another medal came up short as he placed fifth in the men’s three-meter springboard diving in mid-August.
At the 2012 London Games, Ipsen won a bronze medal in the three-meter synchronized diving event with partner Troy Dumais. Ipsen and Dumais lost out on a chance to compete again when they finished second at the Olympic Trials in Indianapolis earlier this year.
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A boost for Town Center?: In August, a Danville developer announced plans for a 90-unit senior residential facility and about 10,500 sq. ft. of commercial space fronting Main Street. Pacific Union Land Investors said it was purchasing two parcels – one owned by the city and one by Clayton Community Church.
“We hope to attract local-serving tenants, including perhaps a wine tasting shop, ice cream parlor or other users that will … supplement the downtown experience,” said Chris Garwood of Pacific Union Land.
On Oct. 4, the City Council gave Pacific Union until Dec. 1 to file an Initial Application. According to community development director Mindy Gentry, no application had been filed as of Dec. 2. That means the Exclusive Negotiating Agreement with the city has lapsed.
Pacific Union did not return a call for comment before press time.
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Historical significance: A new monument recognizes the archaeological and cultural importance of Clayton’s Keller Ranch House. The local chapter of E Vitus Clampus installed the monument near the Cardinet Trail, and the Clayton Historical Society dedicated it Oct. 8.
The marker details the site’s historical significance, dating back to as early as 2000 BC – when the area was home to the Volvon Miwok Native Americans. The land on which the house sits may have been a part of Rancho Del Diablo, a Mexican land grant.
Clayton’s founder Joel Clayton subsequently owned the property. After Clayton died in 1872, vintner Paul DeMartini acquired 145 acres of the southwestern Clayton Ranch and built the DeMartini Winery – now Clayton City Hall.
In the early 1900s, Charles Henry “Harry” Keller purchased the remainder of the Clayton Ranch and named it Liberty Ranch in honor of his wife, Elodia Liberty. The Keller Ranch House, named Casa Del Sierra, was completed in 1913. It had a Mission style home, with Craftsman elements.
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Catalano joins City Council: Incumbents Julie Pierce and Jim Diaz tracked election results with candidate Tuija Catalano at Pierce’s home as all three were elected by a decisive margin on Nov. 8.
Catalano has been on the Clayton Planning commission for six years. Pierce has served on the council since 1992, while Diaz will start his second term. Allen Lampo came in fourth, with about 12 percent of the vote. Howard Geller chose not to run for re-election.