Our September 1st Meeting was jam-packed full of agenda items and speakers. We sent off our team for the Philippines wheelchair trip, inducted a new member, and our guest speaker was the Pleasanton City manager.
Richard Flanders, District 5170 Past Governor and PNR member (right), presented a District 5170/Wheelchair Foundation polo shirt to PNR member Ryan Spuller Sept. 1 for their upcoming trip with a delegation from District 5170 to distribute wheelchairs to disabled children and adults in the Philippines.
PNR continues to grow. Mark Swoboda (left) and Ed Etzel hold their Rotary Membership Certificates after induction ceremonies. Mark is a personal financial advisor. The newly retired Ed Etzel was a Hewlett-Packard sales manager for 17 years. He founded three startup companies, including NetForce Global LLC, an international background screening company. Mark is shown with his sponsor, Nick Valenziano. District 5170 Past Governor Richard Flanders (center) presided at the ceremonies. Chase Henley (far right) is PNR’s Membership Committee Chair.
As PNR’s first featured speaker in September, Pleasanton City Manager Gerry Beaudin delivered mixed news about the city’s labor relations and general finances. He announced the City and its police union reached a long-awaited agreement for a new labor contract the previous evening. He then noted the city will soon be unable to generate enough revenue to cover the cost of infrastructure repairs and inflation associated with nearly every expense category the city manages. Water rates will continue to rise to address price increases from imported water and spending to update the city’s aging water infrastructure and contaminated water wells.
“Hard decisions are needed,” Beaudin said. Possible tax options to stabilize the city’s finances will likely go before Pleasanton voters as a referendum in the 2024 general election.