Assuming the parties can reach agreement on an employment contract, Smith will be only the fourth city manager in Dublin’s 47-year history. Rich Ambrose was the first city manager and served more than 25 years before retiring. His key assistant, Joni Pattillo replaced him. When she retired, the council elevated Foss to the top job. The current council did the same with Smith.
Dublin has been through the ups and downs of the economic cycle and the challenges of planning to double the population on the eastside and then managing that growth over the last decade. What council members have been able to count on is steady leadership from the top staff position that has been home-grown.
That’s true throughout the Tri-Valley. All five cities are led by city managers who were promoted from the staff instead of recruiting from outside.
A long-time auto enthusiast is living his dream with the opening of KarPark Auto Storage at 3 Wyoming St. off Stanley Boulevard in Pleasanton.
Darrell Emery spent 30 years working in high tech before retiring and starting to pursue his passion. He “apprenticed” helping his long-time friend operate a similar storage facility for three years in Southern California. The new 10,000-square-foot facility is one of two new buildings facing Stanley in the long-time commercial service business park between Bernal Avenue and California Avenue.
This will be the first year in memory that there will not be a Christmas tree lot there because a new building is nearing completion on the traditional site. Moore’s Christmas trees already has its new location—an empty lot at the end of the frontage road off North Livermore Ave. You can’t miss it from Interstate 580.
The new KarPark facility is primarily storage with about 8,000 square feet are committed to space for cars while there’s 2,000 square feet for the lobby, a meeting room and display space for the cars. It’s designed for classics such as a 1934 Packard and muscle cars as well as exotics like Ferrari, Porsche and Lamborghini, Emery wrote in an email.
When I asked whether this was a different spin on the Blackhawk Auto Museum, Darrell responded, “- Absolutely - the idea of having automobiles as the eye candy if you will is not new. In our case, more of a living museum if you will since we have different cars coming and going all the time but also nothing like a formal museum feel - simple, clean and modern.”
It’s designed with both big and small events in mind. They’re marketing it for corporate off-sites as well as larger events that would use both the showroom and the storage space.
Discussing what he learned in Southern California, he shared, “ After spending 3 years working with my oldest friend in So Cal with his automotive storage operation, I came to really love the interaction between the clients who are storing their cars - passionate, variety of backgrounds, great stories and finally, build great friendships. Yes, we need to make a profit, the business is really about relationships - we don't sell storage space, you either want to bring your car(s) to the facility or you don't. I know every member, their history etc.”
He's now leasing space and will celebrate the grand opening Saturday in partnership with the Valley Humane Society (its facility is located a few blocks away). The 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. event includes food, drinks, live music and, of course, the cars.
For more information, please see www.karparkauto.com
