Today, we released a new audit titled Fleet Replacement Fund Short Millions. This audit outlines how the City’s fund to replace city vehicles and large equipment (Replacement Fund) is insufficient by millions of dollars, and has been poorly managed due in part to a lack of information and policy guidance. This shortfall may lead to higher long-term costs and may jeopardize the City’s planned transition to an all-electric fleet by 2030. -more-

Professional oboist & music teacher Deb Shidler passed away from pancreatic cancer on May 23, 2021, home from the hospital and in the loving arms of her husband of 40 years, Dave Burkhart. She was 66.

Born in Fort Wayne, IN, Deb switched from clarinet to oboe when she found out that her favorite actor, David McCallum, was an oboist. She graduated from Westside H.S. in Omaha in 1972, received her B.M.E. from Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln in 1976, and her M.M. from Yale School of Music in 1978, where she met her future husband. Deb studied with Ronald Roseman, Marc Lifschey, Sarah Bloom & Robert O’Boyle, and in master classes with John Mack, Joseph Robinson & Marcel Moyse.

Equally adept as oboe soloist, chamber musician, studio musician, and orchestral player, she also played oboe d’amore (and adored Bach’s writing for it) & English horn. The San Jose Mercury called her Largo from the New World Symphony “hushed and reverent, transfigured by Deborah Shidler’s lustrous English horn solo.”

While still in college, Deb performed with the Omaha & Lincoln Symphonies and at the Aspen Music Festival. After receiving her M.M., she moved to Israel, where she was a member of the Beersheba Chamber Orch., before joining the Jerusalem Symphony Orch. in 1979. After a season playing together in the JSO, she and Dave returned to the US. They married in Wilton, CT in 1981 and moved to Northern California.

Deb was a top Bay Area freelancer, often performing with the SF Ballet, Opera & Symphony. She could be a chameleon-like 2nd player one day, a plaintive English hornist the next, and an enthralling 1st player the next. And she had an uncanny ability to sight-read a rehearsal, performance, or recording at a moment’s notice—as if the music had been written expressly for her.

From 1991-2014, Deb commuted to Orange County, where she was 2nd oboe of the Pacific Symphony. She became principal oboe of the Berkeley Symphony in 1991, principal of Walnut Creek’s Festival Opera in 1995, and 2nd oboe of Symphony Silicon Valley in 2002. And, from 2011-2019, she was a full-time acting member of the SF Opera Orchestra. One of her most memorable performances was moving up to 1st oboe for opening night of Lohengrin—on only a few hours’ notice.

Deb was as gifted and devoted a teacher as she was a player, inspiring her students with her singing sound and soaring phrasing, musical and historical insight, reed-making skill, and “You’re doin’ it!” encouragement. Her college teaching positions included UC Davis from 1991-2001 and 20+ years at California State University, Sacramento. Deb relished coaching chamber music as much as she did playing it. She taught/coached at CalCap Chamber Music Workshop, Bocal Majority Double Reed Camp, and, most recently, online for California Youth Symphony. She taught her last Zoom lesson the day before she went into the ICU.

In her spare time, Deb always had projects—like building brick patios and a raised garden bed, woodworking, cooking, and genealogy—and she loved long walks in nature and in art museums. She lived very much in the moment and always for others, with a bottomless reservoir of inner strength and determination. And her zest for life, keen wit, and joyful laughter were as uplifting as they were contagious.

Deb will be deeply missed by her loving husband, parents Ken & Pat, sisters Nancy & Jenn, brother Doug, 7 awesome nieces & nephews, and her extended family, countless friends, colleagues, and students. A celebration of her incredible life will be planned for a later date.

In lieu of flowers, tax-deductible donations are welcomed to help establish Deborah Shidler Oboe Scholarships at California Youth Symphony (https://www.cys.org/support/donation_form.html ) & Cal. State University, Sacramento ( https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1894/19/home-hero.aspx?sid=1894&gid=2&pgid=418&cid=1063&dids=217 ), as well as the Deborah Shidler Principal Oboe Chair at Berkeley Symphony ( https://tickets.berkeleysymphony.org/TheatreManager/1/login?donationcampaign=140 ), three organizations that mirror her own musical journey.

After clicking on these links, please be sure and type “in memory of Deborah Shidler” in the appropriate area.

Many thanks for your support and love. -more-

It's a long weekend, and there are a couple of articles I'm not going to be able to post today. Check tomorrow. -more-

On Tuesday, June 15, the Berkeley City Council will consider opposing SB 9, thanks to Councilmembers Kate Harrison and Susan Wengraf, who put it on the agenda. In its impact, SB9 is regressive legislation that will not provide affordable housing but only increase existing housing inequities.

The text of SB 9 is here:

We are Berkeley Together, a recently formed organization of Berkeley progressives, many of us active in local government for decades. We are deeply concerned about the direction of current housing legislation on both the local and state level. We value the historical racial and economic diversity of our city, both of which are threatened by misguided and misinformed proposed legislation such as SB9, now in committee.

SB9 goes way beyond ending single family zoning, known as up-zoning, which our council has recently discussed. The bill would rezone virtually all parcels within single-family residential zones in California allowing for the creation of (when combined with state Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) law) up to six units; without ANY local discretionary hearing or review, including compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

Yes, you read that correctly- there will be NO hearings or reviews allowed for new residential development, no opportunity for neighborhood comment, no consideration of environmental impacts. This is called “ministerial” approval and it’s a big green light for speculators. -more-

Emboldened by President Biden’s words of encouragement (“Israel has a right to defend itself”) without acknowledging brutal attacks by Israeli police and settlers targeting Palestinian worshippers and driving them from their homes, was an appalling lack of leadership. His failure to demand an immediate cease fire resulted in a tragic loss of lives. His approval sending an additional $735 million in weapons sales to Israel makes no sense and only compounds America’s complicity in Israel’s war crimes. More and more American Jews are expressing profound concern of human rights abuses and living conditions of Palestinians under Israel’s apartheid military rule. Prime Minster Netanyahu, unable to form a government and facing serious charges of misconduct has fomented anger and encouraged settlers to terrorize Palestinians in their homes. Settlers with guns drawn shouting “death to the Arabs” were allowed to roam freely in Palestinian neighborhoods. Several police were seen to join the settlers. -more-

There is a lot converging: the arrival of summer, the City budget, severe drought consuming much of the west https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/ and of course politics. -more-

The escalation that lead to the explosive exchange of rocket and missile fire between Israel and Gaza could have been avoided. The presence of Israeli forces had lead to rock-throwing protests at and around the Al Aqsa Mosque, leading up to the Islamic holy night of Laylat al-Qadr. Hamas had demanded that Israel remove all of its military and police forces from the Haram al Sharif mosque by 6 pm on May 10. Israel ignored the demand.

A Google search for "who started the Israel/Gaza war" states that Hamas started the conflict by firing rockets at Israel. This accounting totally ignores the escalating violence that proceeded—and provoked—the Hamas attack. -more-

Global Climate Change affects every part of the United States. In California, there are two major climate-change consequences: ferocious wildfires and drought. When I lived in a city (Berkeley) i felt somewhat immune from these problems. Now that I live in the country (West Sonoma County) the impact is more obvious. This year we're having a water crisis.

When we bought our rural property, we didn't think much about our water supply. We had a well and all our neighbors had wells. Then, several summers ago, we learned that some of our neighbors' wells had failed and they were having water trucked in.

The water situation in California is VERY complicated, but millions of Golden-State families rely upon groundwater wells and, this summer, many of these are drying up. (Roughly one-third of California's 40 million residents rely upon groundwater for their household needs.) This is happening throughout the state but is most critical in the eastern part of the Central valley -- roughly the area that extends from Sacramento to Bakersfield. -more-

Author's Note: This week's column describes a very painful and sensitive subject that could be traumatizing to some readers. It discusses premature death of mentally ill people. This is not intended to be read by anyone unprepared for discussion of this subject. -more-

Even though the various claims of evidence alleging a stolen 2020 election — “The Big Lie” — have been exhaustively investigated and litigated and found wanting, a May 12, 2021 PRRI Survey found that 38% of Republicans, 12% of Independents and 2% of Democrats completely agree the election was stolen, and 28% of Republicans, 15% of Independents and 2% of Democrats mostly agree. -more-

A Memorial Day for the Victims of Washington's Wars

The New York City chapter of Veterans For Peace (V4P) raises an interesting question: "What would Memorial Day look like if we commemorated all the victims of war, and not just the military fallen from our own country? What would it be like to honor all the dead and acknowledge all the destruction wrought around the world by US military actions?" -more-

Worth Noting:

The full agendas for the City Council Agenda and Rules Committee and the Regular June 1 City Council meeting consume so much space they follow the daily list of events and meetings. This should make a quick scan of daily meetings easier.

Key Meetings and Events:

Tuesday – Agenda and Rules Committee at 2:30 pm and City Council regular meeting at 6 pm (go to www.berkeleydailyplanet.com for coverage of key agenda items)

Wednesday – Budget and Finance Committee at 10 am

Sunday June 6 – Virtual Green Home Tour of 6 homes at 10 am – 1 pm

Budget Town Hall, June 8 at 5:30 pm https://www.jessearreguin.com/

The proposed budget from the CM (City Manager) was first presented at City Council on May 25. Use these links to access the 484 page budget and presentation to council. https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/City_Council/2021/05_May/City_Council__05-25-2021_-_Regular_Meeting_Agenda.aspx