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T H E S U N O L I A N‘Unfounded’ “The Investigator finds that the allegation in the Complaintthat Respondent violated District policy since September2023 by displaying a pride flag in her classroom isunsubstantiated under the preponderance of theevidence standard. As such, the Investigatorrecommends that this investigation be closed.”N.B. BURKE, INVESTIGATIVE REPORTAn investigation into a complaint made by Sunolresident, James Lowder, against school employeeElizabeth Harmuth, about a pride flag displayed in herclassroom has concluded and the allegations deemedunfounded. (Harmuth provided the full documentationof the complaint to The Sunolian.)Lowder had also put in a complaint againstSuperintendent and Principal Molleen Barnes, claimingshe had allowed Harmuth to have the flag in herworkspace, which was––according to him–– against theBoard's flag resolution adopted on September 12, towhich Barnes replied she "neither approved nordisapproved the display of the flag, as staff members areallowed to decorate their workspaces as they choose.”Crucially, the school board had been advised by itsattorney that staff member workspaces are protected bythe First Amendment, even in light of the board’sSeptember 2023 resolution banning pride flags. BoardPresident Ryan Jergensen publicly acknowledged thislegal understanding during the meeting where the flagban policy was adopted.While the exact cost of this investigation remainsunknown, the school district's legal expenses havesurged to seven times the average amount, divertingfunds from the K-8 school's educational resources forstudents.Continues on page 13 'Unfounded'

This newsletter is published on or around the5th of each month and is available for sale inan online subscription format only, via ourpublishing platform, SimpleBooklet. Currentyear’s back issues, including previous year’sarchives, will also be available for a feethrough SimpleBooklet. The goal of thispublication was, is and will continue to be to“Promote a more informed Sunol.” Oursubscription fees cover our production costs,while our advertising fees are donatedannually to a local organization of ourchoosing. Our objective is to provide access toall Sunolians, both readers and writers. Allsubmissions and contributions are subject toethical fact checking and verification. Allgroups in town are invited to submit monthlycolumns for publication, and we invite stories,comments, letters, photos, inquiries and otherinformation that would be of interest to thecommunity, and all contributions are subjectto approval and/or correction, guidance,delay or refusal. This paper is dedicated toproviding all points of view within thefollowing guidelines: (1) All submissions are tobe respectful, supported by factualinformation (when applicable) and signed; (2)All submissions will be confirmed by theeditor; (3) Space for Letters to the Editor islimited to 250 words maximum. We reservethe right to accept or refuse submissions andedit for context and length. We also reservethe right to refuse advertising that in ouropinion does not reflect the standards orvalues of the newsletter and Managing Team.The opinions expressed, whether by paidadvertisement or editorial content does notnecessarily reflect the views of thisnewspaper. Content submitted may bereprinted and acknowledged without consentin future publications.A R O U N D T H E B A YBill and Sharon Marshak, Owners EmeritusTri-City Voicelocal events was not only apersonal commitment, butrecognized and well-receivedby the community.Over time, we were able toconvince more advertisers tojoin our efforts and many arestill with us to this day.Notable among them isWashington Hospital that hasbeen steadfast in its support.The list is too long toenumerate in this column,but they appear throughoutour issues and are deeplyappreciated. As a broadsheetsize publication, Tri-City Voicedefied the odds duringdifficult economic challengeswith the help of our loyalreaders, subscribers andadvertisers.From a small apartment withour pet cat and rabbitwalking over and sitting onour carefully laid pagespreparing for printing, to thegenerous offer by Rolandand Terri Willits to occupyspace in their building free ofcharge and finally to ourpresent location andgenerous support of LarryFudenna and the Fudennafamily, Sharon and I, alongwith a wonderful staff ofeditors, writers, in-house anddelivery personnel havecontinued to serve ourcommunities.With an able staff,supportive community andadvertisers,Know when to hold ‘em,know when to fold ‘em. Forover two decades, Sharonand I have been fortunate topublish What’s HappeningMagazine (1998-2002) andTri-City Voice (2002- ). Bornfrom curiosity about ourrelatively new surroundingsand frustration with reportingof events after they occurred,we decided to produce amodest newsletterhighlighting coming localevents. Things quickly spunout of control and we endedup with a full-fledgedmagazine.Canvasing the area forinformation, possible articlesand advertisers, the warmpeople, interesting places,cultural diversity and richhistory of the southeast BayArea soon became apparent.Our first advertiser, SwissPark in Newark is a goodexample. Stopping in to whatappeared to be a smallrestaurant and bar, I metRosemary Ramsell whoopened a door to the largemeeting hall, ringed with flagsof the cantons of Switzerland.She explained that the facilitywas (and remains) undercooperative Swiss-Americanownership and how dairyfarms once existed close by.As we traveled through thearea, it became evident thatour philosophy ofconcentrating on localpeople, local venues andT H E S U N O L I A NP A G E 2TRI-CITY VOICE OWNERSRETIRING––BUT PAPERWILL LIVE ONJ U N E 2 8 , 2 0 2 4This issue was guest editedGuest Edited,Geraldine Baldassarre,Publisher EmeritaGeneral ManagerOpen until filled,manager@thesunolian.comIssue Contributors:Kristen Bobertz, Victoria Cloutier, Lisa BallContributing ReporterN.B. Burke,nb.burke@thesunolian.comGeneral Leads:nb_burke@proton.meSecure email:Neil Davies,Publisher-At-Largepublisher@thesunolian.comContinues on page 6

OPINIONThe opinions, views, and perspectives expressed inarticles, editorials, and letters to the editor withinThe Sunolian are those of the individual authors anddo not necessarily reflect the official stance oropinions of the publication, its editorial board, or itsstaff. The Sunolian is committed to providing aplatform for–and to seeking out–diverse voices andopinions, fostering open dialogue and discoursewithin the community. However, the publication doesnot endorse or take responsibility for the accuracy orvalidity of the viewpoints expressed by contributors.Readers are encouraged to critically evaluate thecontent and form their own informed opinions.This issue was Guest EditedNeil Davies, Publisher-At-LargeT H E S U N O L I A NC O M M U N I T Y M E M B E RSubmit your request to join ourEditorial Board to help determine thispaper’s position on local issues:editor+board@thesunolian.comE D I T O R I A L B O A R DT H E S U N O L I A NEditorial deadline & publication scheduleSubmission guidelines for Opinion (Guest) EssaysSubmission guidelines for Letters to the EditorJ U N E 2 8 , 2 0 2 4 P A G E 3

LETTER FROM THE EDITORIAL BOARDT H E S U N O L I A NNB Burke, Investigative ReporterWE STAND BY OUR REPORTING here appears to be quite the inaccurate claim being tossed about to the good citizens of Sunolthat my identity remains unknown and therefore, myreporting is somehow dubious and malignant.On the first point, one should be knowledgeable onwhat it means for a journalist to provide their identity totheir subject: A journalist should generally identify themself as ajournalist in the course of their routinenewsgathering.1.A journalist should identify their newsorganization in the course of their routinenewsgathering. 2.Every instance in which I have communicated directlywith a subject or source, I have stated that I am aninvestigative reporter working on an article or ongoingreport for The Sunolian, thereby satisfying thejournalistic standards and code of ethics.Sunol Glen USD Trustee Linda Hurley has notresponded to any of my requests for comment, despitetwo attempts, one on February 14 and one March 1. Incontrast, Trustee Ryan Jergensen responded to mymultiple requests by demanding to know my identity(which I had already provided) as well as where I live.Reporters are not required to disclose their residenceTto interview subjects. Given the current state ofjournalism and the risks investigative journalists face touphold a free press, I chose not to comply withJergensen’s nonobligatory request. His evasiveness tomy inquiry—to which he could have simply stated "nocomment" and left it at that—appeared to be anattempt to frame a narrative around me personally, atactic several members of the Sunol community may beable relate to.I was, however—and remain—entirely open towhichever way the facts of an investigation lead. Wehave pointed out the infighting of all members of theboard and their clear lack of focus on more importantmatters, such as emergency funding and lack offorward movement on rebuilding the school’s campus. We have also reported on Trustee Hurley’s legitimateconcerns regarding the storage of archival boardrecordings on YouTube, as well as audio quality issuesof those recordings, and that her concerns seem lostamongst convoluted board discussions (of which eachboard member is guilty).To illustrate just how deep this confusion goes, oneneed only take a look at the currently published BoardBylaw 9324 (below), under the subheading “Recordingor Broadcasting of Meetings” which states conflictingterms that recordings of District meetings will bepreserved. Is it 30 days? Is it 2 years? We would suggest asking the board if we thought itContinued on next pageP A G E 4 J U N E 2 8 , 2 0 2 4

T H E S U N O L I A Nwould yield any sense of clarification.From the outset, we need not rely on Jergensen toprovide us with any direct comment as he has beenrather prolific in nearly every school board meeting,on social media, in national media and other localmedia sources and in direct mail campaigns to theconstituents of Sunol—all in conjunction with hisofficial actions and capacity as the school boardpresident. We have had plenty to work with, and yetstill remain open to any comment or interview he iswilling to provide to shed light on anything we mayhave missed—but so far, he has provided no directcomment or interview.There has also been no refutation of the facts asreported in this publication by Jergensen, noadditional information has come to light during thecourse of our research and interviewing, and finally,no changes in official board actions by TrusteesJergensen, Hurley or Ted Romo have conflicted withwhat we have investigated and reported to date. It has also never escaped our minds that Jergensenhas chosen to rely heavily on platforms in which hecan control the narrative and not be scrutinized byseasoned reporters. Sticking to community Facebookthreads, Inform Sunol and direct letters into themailboxes of Sunolians—all one-way communicationtactics. Numerous emails provided to this publicationthrough PRA requests show that when communitymembers attempt to email Jergensen directly, hisreplies are frequently copy and pasted from oneSunolian to the next. He doesn’t really want to answeryour questions, Sunol—unless of course you have thetime to schedule a one-on-one meeting or phone callthat he may presumably recast in a different light. Just ask former Board President Mike Picard.We were tipped off in our most recent reportingabout Jergensen’s attempt to recall his HOA board inIncline Village. Following up that lead with a simpleGoogle search lead to other relevant information, likethe November 29, 2023 email we previouslypublished that was included in a Washoe CountyPlanning Commission public report that broughtLETTER FROM THE EDITORIAL BOARDContinued from previous pageA simple Google search brings up the publicly availableinformation––this information is not private, nor is itdifficult to obtain, which are both the defining standardsthat need to be met to be .SGUSD Livestreaminto question Jergensen’s primary residency statuson his Short-Term Rental property there. The emailalso shared a link to an article regarding the SunolGlen School Board recall. Given the topics at hand—a recall and primaryresidence status—we don’t think it’s difficult foranyone to see the relevancy to report these detailsto the community of Sunol. Furthermore, Jergensenfiled the recall petition in Incline over parking rules—it was easily discoverable information, and equallyimportant to report that Jergensen had attemptedto fraudulently apply for more than his fair share ofparking on his STR permit, along with claiming theproperty as his primary residence for at least a yearbefore it was amended.But perhaps the primary residence claim is all a bigmisunderstanding—a typo, a miscalculation, awrongly checked box—and, upon correcting theproperty status a full year later, Jergensen plans toretroactively correct his property tax payments toWashoe County to make up for the entire year hereceived the previous status of 3% Low CapQualified Primary Residence tax rate when heshould have been paying the 8% Short Term Rentalrate for his property. It’s easy to show proof of eventually correctedpayments. But we will keep reviewing the WashoeCounty records for that.J U N E 2 8 , 2 0 2 4 P A G E 5

LIVERMORE BANKHEAD THEATERJoin us at ComicCon Livermore, wherefandoms collide and imagination knows nobounds! This year’s event promises to be anexhilarating celebration of all things geekculture, showcasing a vibrant tapestry ofartists in all genres including graphic novel,manga, crime/noir, sci-fi, horror, fantasy, sliceof life, adventure, humor, and romance.In addition to showcasing the artists, therewill be an exciting cosplay contest, anime andtoy vendors, andspecial guest appearances. This is theultimate destination for fans of all ages tocome together and celebrate the magic ofcomics. Join ComicCon Livermore and experience theCostume Contest On Stage, Face Painting,Photo Booth, Comics, and Anime at theBankhead Theater.To sign up for the costume contest you mustregister on the day of with Ziggy of O’Hanabetween 11am – 12pm. The contest will takeplace on the Bankhead Stage from 1-2pm.Free for all participants. Sharon and I have decided to ensure continuation of Tri-City Voice by joining the Weekly’s group of newspapers andintroduce new management.Father Time has given us clear signals to spend more timewith family, especially our new great-granddaughters.Although we have trained and prepared our staff to carryon our goals and philosophy without us, it is a bittersweetmoment with no small amount of regret. However, weanticipate an active retirement with plans for a smallbusiness – nothing as grand as Tri-City Voice – to keep usbusy.Thank you is not enough but please accept this sentimentas a deep and true feeling of gratitude for our tumultuous,exciting and wonderful experience.As the Kenny Rogers song, The Gambler, says, “know whento hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em..” We are walking awayfrom the table with pride in our publication, ourcommunities and what we know will be a bright future forboth.T H E S U N O L I A NCALL FOR ARTISTS& IN LIVERMORETRI-CITY VOICE TO CONTINUEContinued from previous pageHAUBERT HOSTS SUNOLThis pastWednesday,Supervisor DavidHaubert hostedresidents ofSunol to a BBQat Sunol GlenSchool, followedby a State of theCounty address.“I was honoredto give apresentation onall the initiativesthat our office isundertaking toserve Sunol andthe rest ofDistrict 1. Thankyou, One NationDream Makers,for cooking upand servingdeliciousbarbeque!”Supervisor DavidHaubert postedon Facebook.P A G E 6 J U N E 2 8 , 2 0 2 4

T H E S U N O L I A NWORK IN PROGRESSFOR GREAT NORTHENRANCH CAR AT NCRYWe stopped into our car shop on Saturday, June15, to find that our Great Northern Ranch Car'Hidden Lake' crew had fit up several morepanels for the steel replacement along the lowersill. The train car arrived back in 2019. In that time,interior restoration has been started including anextensive cleaning and restoration of the kitchen.Many subsystems like refrigeration have beenworked on and windows are undergoing rebuild.On the side of the car show, all new steel wasinstalled along the roof edge along with newsteel at the bottom at the sill and an extensivesteel replacement was installed under thekitchen window and the western-most windowon the car. Full GN paint and lettering has beenapplied to this side of the car and steelrestoration has been ongoing on the other sidesince 2023.More help is needed to keep the progress ofputting the railcar back on the track.How can you help? Donations are welcome tokeep the work going and the new materialsflowing in. You can donate via our website here: https://www.ncry.org/donate/#ranchcar. FROM NILES CANYON RAILWAY, NCRY.ORGJ U N E 2 8 , 2 0 2 4 P A G E 7

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KRISTEN BOBERTZ, CONTRIBUTORT H E S U N O L I A NHELPING INJURED WILDLIFE: A CRITICAL RESCUEMISSIONAfter receiving a distress call about an injured barnowl in the Sunol Glen school garden, weimmediately sprang into action. Upon arrival, wediscovered the beautiful creature trapped in thetrees near the chicken coop. The owl appeared tohave a broken wing and was clearly frightened.The Rescue OperationDespite the owl's fear, we managed to safelycapture him and transport him to the VeterinaryEmergency Group in San Ramon. This particularfacility collaborates with the Lindsay WildlifeMuseum to provide care for injured wildlife duringafter-hours. The vet initially expressed optimismabout the owl's chances for a full recovery.A Heart-Wrenching Turn of EventsA few days later, however, we received devastatingnews. The owl's right humerus had sustainedirreparable damage, and the difficult decision wasmade to humanely euthanize him. All of us thatwere involved in the rescue had held onto hope forthe owl's recovery, envisioning the joy of ourcommunity being able to witness his release backinto the wild.The Role of Lindsay WildlifeLocated in Walnut Creek, Lindsay Wildlife is asanctuary for injured wildlife, operating betweenthe hours of 10 am and 4 pm. In cases whereanimals are found outside of these hours, theVeterinary Emergency Group in Pleasant Hill andSan Ramon step in to accept wild animals onLindsay Wildlife's behalf and then transfer them toLindsay Wildlife once they're open. It's important tonote that there are certain types of wildlife thatthese facilities may not be equipped to handle, soit's best to consult their website for guidance.Playing Your Part in Wildlife RescueIf you stumble upon an injured wildlife animal, it'scrucial to proceed with caution. Refrain fromimmediately picking up the animal and insteadThe barn owl stuck in the trees in the garden at Sunol GlenSchool - he was so beautiful and majestic. When capturedor cornered, barn owls may throw themselves on their backand flail with sharp-taloned feet, making for an effectivedefense. All photos and video by Kristen BobertzP A G E 1 0 J U N E 2 8 , 2 0 2 4

T H E S U N O L I A Nconsult resources such as LindsayWildlife's website for detailedinstructions on how to handle thesituation. When it's necessary totransport the animal, place it in asecure box with minimal light exposure.Cover the container with a blanket ortowel to provide a sense of calm to thedistressed creature.Making a DifferenceFor those looking to contribute to the noble cause of wildlife rescue, LindsayWildlife offers opportunities to donatetowards their efforts. By supportingtheir initiatives, you can play a directrole in aiding injured animals on theirpath to recovery. Your generosity canmake a meaningful impact on the livesof these magnificent creatures.Donate to Lindsay Wildlife and supporttheir mission here.Chris Bobertz transporting the owlto the car where the animal wassecurely placed in a box for thedrive to the Emergency Vet in SanRamon.Video of Barn Owl - this "dance" the owl did was adefensive dance to try to scare me off, indicating hewas definitely frightened.Females often havedarker brown feathersaround the rim of thefacial disc as well asdarker bars on the tailand small black spots onthe chest and undersideof the wings. Males aregenerally lighter and amore pure whiteunderneath.J U N E 2 8 , 2 0 2 4 P A G E 1 1

T O M ’ S P I C K STom Harland,ContributorT H E S U N O L I A NWONDERFUL SENSE OF TASTE CAN’T BE TAUGHTThe Wild One349 Main StreetPleasanton, Ca925.249.9108https://wildonegrill.com/Owner/Chef Leo Martinez learned to cookas an apprentice to a San Jose based NewYork trained chef. He now heads his ownsmall restaurant (5 tables inside) and seatingout doors on Main Street in Pleasanton. Hehas a wonderful sense of taste that can’t betaught. All of his dishes are unique andsurprising in complexity.What you won’t get in his restaurant arebottomless margaritas or large plates offood that all tastes the same. What you willget is one man’s take on fresh, reasonablepriced ($20+/-), South Western fare.Post Script: Treat yourself to an ItalianGelato next door after your meal.Next month: The cheapest S.F. Bay cruiseon the planet. P A G E 1 2 J U N E 2 8 , 2 0 2 4

RESOLUTION FUNDAMENTALLY AT ODDS WITHDISTRICT’S POLICYT H E S U N O L I A NContinued from page 1The complaint, originallysubmitted to the District on May14 by complainant and Sunolresident James Lowder, stated inthe details of the complaint: “Mrs.Harmuth continues to ignore theSGUSD policy regarding display’s[sic] of flags on school grounds.She is continueing [sic] todefiantly display a flag which sheis personally supportive of insideher classroom against districtpolicy.” The complaint does notspecify which district policy theflag is breaking.Accompanying the complaint wasa photo, featured on the cover ofthis issue, showing a flagdisplayed in Harmuth’s computerlab classroom, hung on the wallnext to her desk. Harmuthconfirmed that the photo wastaken covertly by a student duringschool hours, in the presence ofherself and two other staffmembers, violating the District’spolicy on student use of personaldevices on campus. She alsonoted that the photo wasreported to the state's TestOperations Management System(TOMS) by the District’s testingmanager, as the classroom wasprepared for standardized statetesting. When the investigatorasked Lowder who had taken thepicture of the pride flag, heresponded that he was notcomfortable divulging thatinformation.The report also included thefollowing passage [emphasis inbold The Sunolian’s] whendiscussing the District’s ‘policy’and ‘resolution’: “On September 12, 2023, TheDistrict Board of Education(“Board”) passed Resolution No.23-2024-08 (“Resolution”),banning the District fromdisplaying any flags that are notthe United States or theCalifornia flag on School grounds.This is the District “policy” towhich the Complainant refers inthe Complaint. The Resolution isattached hereto as AttachmentB. Complainant did not allegea violation of District BoardPolicies or AdministrativeRegulations.”Lowder did not specify a Districtpolicy number on his complaintform, likely because no suchpolicy exists. As noted in our June23 issue, there is only a long-standing resolution, passed inSeptember last year, whichappears to contradict BoardPolicy 6115—though the policyitself remains unchanged. Thepersistence of this resolutionraises questions about why itshould be allowed to effectivelyact as a policy change, especiallywhen its language does notclarify or support the assertionsmade in the standing policy––rather, it is in opposition to it.The investigator's reportconfirms Lowder was referring tothe resolution when he indicatedpolicy, further highlighting thatthe District’s policy andresolution are fundamentally atodds regarding the definition offlag displays.The result of this complaint isthat there is no ‘there’ there:“Investigator’s review confirmsthat President Jergensen statedthat, based on advice from theDistrict’s attorney, the ResolutionContinued on next pageElizabeth Harmuth gave this publication permission to publish theinvestigative report surrounding Lowder’s complaint against her forhanging the Pride flag in her classroom. The full report is available here.J U N E 2 8 , 2 0 2 4 P A G E 1 3

COMPLAINT IS NO MATCH FOR EMPLOYEE’S FREESPEECH RIGHTS––JUST ASK JERGENSENT H E   S U N O L I A NContinued from previous pageapplies only to the District’sspeech, not the free speech rightsof teachers or students.”Jergensen can be seen makingthis statement at the schoolboard meeting last September onthe District’s livestream recordingof the meeting.At the June 18 school boardmeeting, Lowder submitted 11more complaints, bringing histotal complaint count to 15 withthe District. As complaints from asingle individual continue toaccumulate, many are beginningto question whether the issue liesnot with the District but withLowder himself. There is growingconcern that his numerouscomplaints may constitute acostly witch hunt, funded by thetaxpayers of Sunol. In fact, all ofthe complaints Lowder hassubmitted (with one exception)are against employees who havealready resigned and are nolonger employed by the district.Former Trustee Mike Picardrecently placed a resolution onthe June 18 agenda to honorretiring Superintendent MolleenBarnes and her husband, MarkBarnes, the school’s Health andWellness Coordinator, acustomary practice for the districtfor departing school staffmembers.Immediately following Picardreading out the resolution for theboard’s consideration, Lowderclaimed in his own publiccomment that recent PRArequests had shown Barnes to beactively working against her boardby using District email tocommunicate pro-recallinformation, although he did notprovide examples to substantiatehis claims, nor has adetermination for the complaintbeen made. This didn’t stopLowder from asserting theallegations were grounds fortermination and that per thestate’s ed code, if found guilty,the offense is punishable by jailand a fine. In a comment for thisarticle, one local resident hadthis to say of Lowder’s claims:“Rubbish––how else were Ryanand Linda going to validate theirdecision not to pass a resolutionin recognition of Molly and Mark?I suppose 11 more mysteriouscomplaints from the boardpresident’s lapdog come inhandy.”Hurley then stated of theresolution honoring Barnes andher husband: “It’s questionablecollusion on at least one thingand I cannot supportwholeheartedly this resolution.”Hurley has previously utilizedunfounded judgment in claimsused to censure Trustee TedRomo when she asserted he hadthreatened the district’s previouslegal counsel––which in the finalmoments before passing thecensure, she admitted wasconjecture and struck thelanguage.Picard returned a week later tothe board’s June 25 boardmeeting to make it clear therewas a mounting dismay amongstthe populace of the town. In areference to a recent facebookpost (seen right) made byJergensen in which he claimed hehad been ‘doxxed’ by the “Kent-Continued on next pageHarmuth’s Public Statement inresponse to the dismissal ofLowder’s complaint against her:"I displayed the Pride flag because atthe May 2023 board meeting, LindaHurley proposed a resolution thatwould allow teachers and staff to 'out'students to their parents. In September2023, a resolution sponsored by JamesLowder, and supported by Jergensenand Hurley, banned the Pride flagfrom being displayed on the exterior ofour school building.Both of these actions deeply upset me because they are profoundlyharmful and dangerous to LGBTQ students, and as an previouseducator and school employee, my first obligation is to the safety andwell being of students. Denying any outward sign of support putsLGBTQ student's physical and emotional well-being at risk.I wanted LGBTQ students to feel safe when they entered thecomputer lab. I wanted all students to know that the computer labwas an accepting space where homophobic speech and actions wouldnot be tolerated.I was raised by parents who believed in standing up and speaking outagainst injustice. In good conscience, I could not stand by and allow agroup of bigoted, homophobic individuals to trample on the rights of aprotected class. I would make the same decision to display the Prideflag again and again."P A G E   1 4 J U N E   2 8 ,   2 0 2 4

“This resolution that I wrote––and that you know Denise[Romo] helped me write––and we wrote it as a gift tothis board; it was a gift to mend fences and maybe spreada little peace and love instead of the throat punch thatyou gave to Mark and Molly by voting no on it.”— MIKE PICARD, FORMER BOARD PRESIDENT SUNOL GLENSCHOOL, ADDRESSING CURRENT TRUSTEES JERGENSEN ANDHURLEY, FOR VOTING NO ON PASSING A RESOLUTION TORECOGNIZE THE YEARS OF SERVICE FROM SUPERINTENDENTMOLLEEN BARNES AND HER HUSBAND, MARK BARNES, HEALTHAND WELLNESS COORDINATOR FOR THE DISTRICTCOMPLAINTS ALLEGEDLY USED TO SUBVERTRESOLUTION; PICARD CALLS IT A ‘THROAT PUNCH’T H E   S U N O L I A NContinued from previous pageRomos, Bobertz et al” andincluded an image of an emailpurporting to have come from hiswife, Rachel Jergensen, Picardquipped “I’m surprised this boardhasn’t accused our beloved ITmanager, Sean Gabel for the fakeemail debacle yet, but maybethat’s still coming.” Gabel quit thedistrict last November afterHurley falsely claimed on multipleoccasions he had edited out partsof the district’s board meetinglivestream recordings.Picard then stated his version ofwhat specifically transpired overthe drafting of a previous boardresolution which thanked theschool staff and superintendent,reiterating in clearer terms that“somebody decided to just slashMolly completely out of it alongwith a bunch of accolades for theteachers and staff––nothing that Iapproved, nothing that I read,nothing I had seen and said ‘thislooks good.’” This publicationpublished a red lined version ofthe original resolution indicatinglanguage that would eventually bestruck from the document in ourMay issue. At the April 23 schoolboard meeting, Hurley, speakingin regard to the revised languageof the resolution: “I will make amotion to support this one; Iabstained off the last onebecause there were lies in the lastone.”Jergensen replied to Picarddirectly in his commentsregarding the resolution to honorBarnes and her husband’s serviceto the district: “At the drafting, youcould have talked with us. Youcould have given me the respectto let me know ‘hey, I’m draftingthis, would you like to be a part ofit, can we maybe do thistogether?’ as opposed to ‘hey,look at me and Denise, we’rewriting this and bringing it to theboard and you guys need toaccept it otherwise you’rehorrible people.”But according to the Board’s ownpolicy, it does not state that amember of the public must workwith any board member on itssupporting documentation in itsrequest to add an item to theschool board’s agenda:Board Bylaw 9322“Any Board member or memberof the public may request that amatter within the jurisdiction ofthe Board be placed on theagenda of a regular meeting. Therequest shall be submitted inwriting to the Superintendent ordesignee with supportingdocuments and information, ifany, at least one week before thescheduled meeting date. Itemssubmitted less than a weekbefore the scheduled meetingdate may be postponed to a latermeeting in order to allowsufficient time for considerationand research of the issue.”Jergensen's claim that Picardshould have consulted himduring the drafting of theresolution overlooks thecollaborative and independentnature of the democraticprocess. Members of the public,like Picard, have the right to bringforward initiatives based on theirown insights and communityinput. Expecting priorconsultation for every proposalcould hinder progress, stiflefeedback and delay importantdecisions. Moreover, schoolboard meetings provide an openforum for discussion,amendments, and collaboration,allowing all members tocontribute and express theirviews before any resolution isadopted. This process upholdsdemocratic principles andrespects the diverse perspectiveswithin the community, ratherthan indicating a lack of respector cooperation.At the end of the item discussion,Trustee Romo motioned forapproval on the resolution andneither Jergensen nor Hurleyseconded.J U N E   2 8 ,   2 0 2 4 P A G E   1 5

AdvertorialDenise Kent-RomoPeggy CarpenterGuin Van DykeVic Cloutier Liz Monti-Hall Don BallBob Foster Neil DaviesFormer Sunol Glen Trustees Endorse YESon Recall of Ryan Jergensen and Linda Hurleyin the July 2Special Election RecallT H E S U N O L I A NA school board’s measure of successOver the years, previous Sunol Glen trustees activelyworked to improve academics, ensuring a world classeducational environment with access to cutting edgetechnology and curriculum. Together, these trustees accomplished a wide-range ofgoals that to this day are still leaving an impact in theDistrict, including:Acquired laptops for every student and teacher,taking the educational environment from a 3:1 deviceratio to a 1:1 device ratio––well ahead of surroundingschool districts at the time of implementation.Built digital curriculum for students long before COVID.First district in the state to implement technicalupgrade + digital curriculum with existing districtcash flow, not with technical bond.Added a math teacher to provide advanced Algebrain middle school.Added electives including civics, language, arts,technology, and game theory.Implemented digital board policies & automatic updates.Introduced updated language, arts and mathcurriculum.Bought equipment: a kiln, 3D printer, and telescope.Built theater, music, and art programs.Launched new Social Justice committee.Upgraded all WiFi APs in the school, fortifyingconnectivity and broadening the coverage area bydoubling the number of APs on campus.Worked with Sunol Business Guild, CERT, and SunolRepertory Theatre to oversee record monetarydonations.Equipped Sunol Glen as first in the county to safely offerin person classes during the Covid pandemic.Updated library and media center materials.Supported STEM and arts curriculum updatesLaunched successful bond to plan for another 100years of SGUSDFounded Dillon’s Garden, an award winning schoolgardenAligned Sunol Glen for the honor of CaliforniaDistinguished SchoolInstalled new track, playing field, ball wall, and sportsequipmentSent teachers to NYC and to multiple curriculumcourses/trainingEnsured excellent fiscal health and budget due tocareful spendingMaintained a productive and healthy workingrelationship with the administration, teachers, andstaff at Sunol Glen.I t ’ s t i m e t o g e t b a c k t o w o r k .FormerTrustees say:‘Vote Yeson Recall’Former Trustees havethe training andexperience to be anaccurate gauge ofethical and professionalbehavior on the schoolboard, and they arevocal in notifying thecommunity howJergensen and Hurleyare not only failing attheir positions, butactively damaging theMike Picardschool with their decisions.Nine Former School Board Trustees thatknow the role and understand theresponsibilities associated with serving onthe School Board denounce TrusteesJergensen and Hurley. No formerTrustees publicly support Hurley andJergensen, and none defend them.P A G E 1 6 J U N E 2 8 , 2 0 2 4

T H E S U N O L I A NJ U N E 2 8 , 2 0 2 4 P A G E 1 7Endorsements Standing United for Sunol Glen 13 of 15 Sunol Glen School teachers—SunolFederation of Teachers AFT Local 14949 of 11 Sunol Glen School support staff—Sunol GlenUnified Chapter 862 CSEAAssemblymember Alex LeeAlameda County Democratic PartyAlysse Castro, Superintendent, Alameda CountyOffice of EducationCheryl Cook-Kallio, Vice President, Alameda CountyOffice of Education Board Trustee Area 7Joaquín J. Rivera, Alameda County Office ofEducation Board Trustee Area 1Angela Normand, Alameda County Office ofEducation Board Trustee Area 2Ken Berrick, Alameda County Office of EducationBoard Trustee Area 3Aisha Knowles, Alameda County Office of EducationBoard Trustee Area 4Janevette Cole, Alameda County Office of EducationBoard Trustee Area 5David Haglund, Superintendent, Pleasanton UnifiedSchool DistrictKelly Mokashi, Pleasanton Unified School DistrictTrustee Area 3Neil Davies, Sunol Glen USD Trustee (Fmr.)Peggy Carpenter, Sunol Glen USD Trustee (Fmr.)Don Ball, Sunol Glen USD Trustee (Fmr.)Bob Foster, Sunol Glen USD Trustee (Fmr.)Guin Van Dyke, Sunol Glen USD Trustee (Fmr.)Liz Hall, Sunol Glen USD Trustee (Fmr.)Vic Cloutier, Sunol Glen USD Trustee (Fmr.)Denise Kent Romo, Sunol Glen USD Trustee (Fmr.)Mike Picard, Sunol Glen USD Trustee (Fmr.)Igor Traub, Chair, Alameda County Democratic Partyand Berkeley Councilmember-electEast Bay Stonewall Democratic ClubEquality CaliforniaRebecca Radulovich, Sunol Glen Teacher (Fmr.)Diane McCrary, Sunol Glen Teacher (Fmr.)Jenny Underwood, Sunol Glen Teacher (Fmr.)Nancy Brazil, Sunol Glen Teacher (Fmr.)Phil Mumford, Sunol Glen Teacher (Fmr.)Vicki Harland, Sunol Glen Teacher (Fmr.)Diane Tiessen, Sunol Glen Teacher (Fmr.)Sue Sieple, Sunol Glen Teacher (Fmr.)Leslie Owen, Sunol Glen Teacher (Fmr.)Laura Dennis, Sunol Glen Teacher (Fmr.)Suzette Takei, Ph.D., Sunol Glen Teacher (Fmr.)Lisa Ball, President, Sunol Glen Community Club PTO(Fmr.)Robin Replogle, President, Sunol Glen CommunityClub PTO (Fmr.)Paulette Beemiller, President, Sunol Glen CommunityClub PTO (Fmr.)Brenda DuCharme, President, Sunol Glen CommunityClub PTO (Fmr.)Pat O’Laughlin, Former Sunol Glen VolunteerArio Ysit, Alameda County Planning Commission(Fmr.)Rev. Mary P. Conant, Pastor, Little Brown ChurchRobin L Spindler, Las Lomitas USD, Director ofStudent ServicesConnie De Grange, Chair, Sunol Citizen’s AdvisoryCouncilJim O’Laughlin, Assistant Superintendent atNewhaven USD (Fmr.)Tom Harland, Founder of Sunol Repertory Theater Irvin Tiessen, Sunol Repertory Theater MemberHolly Scroggins, Principal Dublin Unified SchoolDale Scroggins, Local businessman & 4-H leader (Fmr.)Toni Coplan, Special Education TeacherBen Coplan M.D.Teresa Donovan, Former Sunol Glen District ClerkEric Replogle, Ph.D., Attorney at LawMaurice Cloutier, Escondido USD School BoardTrustee (Fmr.)Ad paid for by Recall School Board Trustees Jergensen & Hurley, FPPC #1464153Sunol Glen teachers, staff, local elected officials, educational leaders,organizations, and community members who care about protecting publiceducation stand united in support of the grassroots, community-driveneffort to recall Sunol Glen Trustees Ryan Jergensen and Linda Hurley.Stand with them—VOTE YES TO RECALL by Tuesday July 2nd Don’t delay, Sunol Glen School needs your vote!Learn where and how to cast your ballot and more election info at:https://www.acvote.org/election-information/elections?id=256

VIC CLOUTIER, CONTRIBUTORT H E S U N O L I A NSUNOL: CANINE CAPITAL OF CALIFORNIATop: Albert, the goofygreat dane that keepsracking up the bills, butwho can resist that face?Right: Toby, with hisluscious mane, is afrequent pup about thetown.All photos submitted andprinted with permissionWhen the most famous mayor inthe area is a dog with his own castbronze statue, it’s fair to say Sunolis a dog lover’s paradise. Bosco’sRoadhouse is our dog friendlywatering hole, JJ Land providesfresh water for thirsty pups.Everywhere you go, thereare reminders that Sunol lovesdogs.Toby, is a lush, long coatedGolden Retriever from KilkareWoods. You’ll see him chillaxing inthe park, in Bosco’s or on MainStreet. He is faithfully chauffeuredaround by Neil Davies. Toby is thenonchalant, unofficial mascot fordowntown—always full of loveand with no sense of boundaries.Travel along Foothill Road andyou’ll see Kevin, a pug mix andproof of reincarnation—I’m surein a past life he was a New JerseyMob Boss. He rarely makes itdowntown but likes to sit on aleather sofa silently judgingvisitors to the Romo household.And then there is Albert, the GreatDane. The only dog in Sunol tohave a feature articlein the Wall Street Journal. Hisclaim to fame—a ludicrousexample of big breed dogs,with limited intelligence, rackingup enormous medical bills.Albert’s latest adventuresinclude a rattlesnake bite,followed by falling off a step in thebackyard and slicing openhis foot. Full disclosure, Albert ismy dog. (I guarantee it’s the onlytime I’ll be publishedin the WSJ.) Our next-doorneighbors also have a Great Danenamed River. Their dog ismarginally more intelligent thanAlbert and can be seen on hisdaily walks on upper Kilkare. He’sthe size of a pony.But the downside of being acommunity of dog lovers is thatpeople dump unwantedanimals in Sunol. Speak to anyoneand they will have found a dogand taken them in or found thema home. Take Luna, arambunctious Husky, adopted bySean. Luna was dumped on lowerKilkare when Sean found her andmade her part of his family. Lunais an adept and loveable escapeartist who likes to occasionallyappear on the “I love Sunol”Facebook site as a lost floofa. P A G E 1 8 J U N E 2 8 , 2 0 2 4Continued on next page

In the last five years I’ve found six dogs. Allfound new homes except for “Pete” - ageriatric husky who was blind, deaf andterrified. He’d somehow survived threenights in the woods, until I managed tolasso him with the help of someneighbors. We took him to the amazingHumane Society in Dublin. Theydiscovered he was riddled with cancerand helped him cross the rainbow bridge,in the arms of a volunteer who held himuntil his dying breath.For non-dog lovers, Bosco is the best dogever. He doesn’t need to be fed, has novet bills and can be dressed for everyoccasion. He wears green on St. Patrick’sDay, a Santa hat during Christmas and I’veeven seen him in a snazzy bow tie. He iswell loved and the top of his head issmooth and shiny from all the affectionatepats he gets during photo ops.If we can resurrect the Bed Races and greatChili Cook off this year, I think we need aPooch Parade around the park. Let’s putSunol on the map for its dogs and not itsdivisive politics.And as for Bosco: He was a lucky andlovely dog. But don’t take my word for it.Grab a pint at Boscos’ Roadhouse. Thebeer is piped directly down his canineappendage. It’s a sight to behold and sovery Sunolian.Top: Kevin, the ‘mobboss’ pug of Sunol.Photo by DeniseRomo.Left: One of the fewremaining images ofBosco, Sunol’sHonorary Mayor,shows off his fancybow tie and big smile.Photo by Ario Ysit viaVictoria Christian &Courtesy ofbayarea.com).A study shows that dogsare among a smallgroup of animals whoshow voluntaryunselfish kindnesstowards others withoutany reward.J U N E   2 8 ,   2 0 2 4 P A G E   1 9

T H E S U N O L I A NTemperatures near seasonal averages throughout the weekend. Afternoon temperatures will be in the 60’sand 70’s near the coast and upper 80’s to mid 90’s for the interior. Next week temperatures will warm up towell above average, reaching into the triple digits across the interior. Lower confidence in expectedtemperatures near the coast, yet should remain cooler than inland areas. Never leave people or pets invehicles!P A G E 2 0 J U N E 2 8 , 2 0 2 4

February, Vol. 7, Special Issue https://midd.me/shLWMarch, Vol. 7, Iss. 2 https://midd.me/shLWFebruary, Vol. 7, Iss. 1https://midd.me/QAtZBe sure to alsofollow us onFacebook wherewe also announcethe publication ofour next issue.Click or scan below for our 2024 issues availableonline:T H E S U N O L I A NWE GOT ISSUES: CHECK IT OUT ONLINEOur 2024 issues are now available in print and online. Ouronline format includes interactive, multimedia andembedded videos, and is presented as an onscreen,digital, flippable booklet. Our digital version convenientlyincludes reference links throughout.April, Vol. 7, Iss. 3 https://midd.me/ICLxCONTACT PUBLISHER TO ADVERTISEAdvertising Rates for the 2024 Feb, Mar, Apr and May editions are on the house during our inaugural re-launch. You may contact the Publisher, Neil Davies (publisher@thesunolian.com) regarding advertisingrates past the May issue. For advertising sizes and artwork requirements, contact the Editor & LayoutDesigner, Cammie O’Connor (editor@thesunolian.com) for specs and file types. J U N E 2 8 , 2 0 2 4 P A G E 2 1