In attendance:

Councilmember Spees, Ms. Claudette Ford, Director of the Public Works Agency, Mr. Berry Weiland, Assistant Director of the Public Works Agency, concerned neighbors.

Councilmember Spees opened the meeting by welcoming the neighbors and thanking the Public Works Agency for their work so far. The lower set of stairs is currently being replaced and should be finished soon. A special thanks to Kirk van Druten and his work with the web site and for keeping all the neighbors informed.

Ms. Claudette Ford stated that the repair of city owned stairs is now on the radar screen. The maintenance was deferred, but no longer. The upper set of stairs will be repaired. Optimistically by September 2001. PWA staff is looking to see if they can do the repairs in house, or if they will have to go out for bid. If they go out for bid it will increase the time line. From this meeting they will know what specs the neighbors want, and what they can do.

The City of Oakland is coming up to the design stage right now.

• This is a new opportunity, for city and for the neighbors
• Design is a significant cost, if the city has good standards, then it will be efficient, and not need design

• Design for the stairs is case by case, and depends on locations.
• Issue of repair versus rebuild

• City crew can do some work itself, cut down on cost, and follow all building code standards for repairs.

• The stairs need on going maintenance
• The section of Merriewood to Abbott might just need some vegetation management and new hand rails
• Stairs need to be designed well
• Railings should take into consideration of users, adults, children
• Design is a significant cost, if the city has good standards, then it will be efficient, and not need design

• Wood stairs are better for the area, due to the movement of the earth and for repair, but there should be concrete foundation and at the landings.
• Pressure treated wood, but not for the hand rails
• Have aluminum hand rails, avoid splinters
• Use "Trex", made from plastic and wood, or other recycled products.
• Sections 1 and 2, the landings are not flat, may need to use railroad ties
• These stairs will get a lot of use, plastic might wear down easily
• Reflectors on stairs, lights could be too bright and there was no consensus.
• Neighbors could install motion detectors, but again no consensus
• Cross walks at landings, notify drivers
• Signage that highlights these are public paths, not for private property
• Stairs could be named after someone; a donation to the city would be tax exempt under certain guidelines.
• Look for a 501©3. Money for a dedicated purpose, not other uses

• Councilmember Spees clarified that maintenance is vegetation management and minor cleaning; not replacing boards or rails

• The residents need to pitch in also, take ownership of the stairs.
• The city will hold up there end of the bargain, the neighbors need to pitch in also
• Neighbors need contact at PWA
• Councilmemebr Spees office will help with arranging the debris boxes, the city has two clean up days a year, they support the volunteers
• City needs a neighborhood contact to help arrange clean ups and for communication
• It was agreed that the stairs will be repaired well, so they will be kept up well.

PWA will investigate the neighbor’s suggestions and comments. They will draw up the specs. for the project and keep the public informed as to a timeline, construction design and other issues.