The Campolindo football team went into their meeting with Acalanes Friday night looking at the game as a “must-win.” The Cougars played one of their best games of the year as they beat host Acalanes, 38-27. Tommy Stephens, the Campolindo quarterback, proved to be the star as he completed 19 of his 26 passes for 255 yards. He also threw two touchdown passes. The Cougars improved to 3-2 in DFAL play and 5-4 overall. Acalanes dropped to 4-2 in DFAL play and 5-5 overall.

Miramonte won their game against host Dougherty Valley, 14-7, on Friday night. The Matadors improved to 2-3 in DFAL play and 4-5 overall.

As the Moraga-Orinda Fire District prepares to leave the controversy-laden era of Pete Nowicki, news that a pension reform group has filed a pair of reform initiatives. From political reporter Lisa Vorderbrueggen’s Political Blotter blog:

The California Foundation for Fiscal Responsibility filed language for two ballot initiatives with the Attorney General’s Office this week that would cap public employee retirement benefits, raise the eligible retirement age and eliminate the use of vacation pay and other perks to spike retirement pay.

Nowicki became a sort of poster child for pension reform after it was reported he cashed in unused vacation time and other benefits to raise his annual pension from $185,000 to $241,000, as is allowed under the rules of his retirement plan. MOFD, like other public safety agencies in the county, participates in a retirement system that allows retirees to receive as pension of 3 percent of their final salary for every year they’ve worked.

Nowicki has been the district’s interim chief on contract since he retired at the end of January, but that contract expires Nov. 19. Former Alameda County Deputy Fire Chief Randy Bradley was appointed Wednesday as the district’s new, permanent chief.

The Moraga-Orinda Fire District has officially announced their selection for new fire chief on Wednesday. Randy Bradley will become the new head of the MOFD.

Bradley had previously been a fire deputy chief for Alameda County. He also worked as the chief of the Lawrence Livermore Fire Department, a department who mainly deals with wildland fires. He is also currently chairman of a National Fire Protection Association committee. It was this experience that helped push him to the top of the group of applicants for the position. Nearly 60 people applied for the position of MOFD chief.

According to unofficial election results, Measure G will pass with 74 percent of the voters approving it. It needed two-thirds of the votes in order to pass.

The passing of Measure G ensures an extension of the current Acalanes Union High School District parcel tax. Without the passing of Measure G, the parcel tax would have expired in 2011.

The parcel tax costs taxpayers $189 per year, resulting in $6.7 million for the school district.

Measure G not passing could have potentially been detrimental to the district. Without the parcel tax, the district would be forced to lay off a large number of teachers and cut programs.

When the Moraga-Orinda Fire District Board of Directors extended interim Chief Pete Nowicki’s contract in July through the end of October, it was because they were hoping to have his replacement named by the end of September, giving Nowicki the 3-4 weeks he says he needs to transition the new chief into the job.

Now it’s the middle of November, and the district is still without a new fire chief. But they may be close. Wednesday’s meeting includes a closed session agenda item discussing the appointment of a new chief. That’s not new. They’ve been having these closed session meetings fairly regularly and board members have said they have a leading candidate and have been checking references and negotiating compensation.

But during the open session, there’s an agenda item for “New District Fire Chief Appointment Review And Potential Approval of Employment Contract.” Theoretically, if everything regarding the new fire chief is hammered out in closed session, they could approve his contract in the open session.

That raises the question, if Nowicki needs 3-4 weeks to transition the new chief into the job, and his contract currently is set to expire Nov. 19, will he ask for another extension to give him more time for that transition?

The Acalanes Union High School District recently selected the recipients of the Su Stauffer Friends of Education Award. The award is given to individuals who have benefited the schools through their commitment to volunteer work.

Su Stauffer was a volunteer who positively impacted the district as much as anyone. During budget cuts in the 1970s, Stauffer helped organize foundations to collect donations to save school programs.

An award recipient is selected for the district and for each of the four schools in the AUHSD.

The recipient of the district award was Judy Carney. The winners for Acalanes, Campolindo and Miramonte were Joni Avery, Dave Pinkham and Ina Paven, respectively.

Acalanes improved to 4-1 in the DFAL after their Friday night victory over Dublin, 35-21. The star of the game was the Dons’ running back Tyler Malley who rushed for 219 yards and scored three touchdowns. If Acalanes can finish the season strong, they could earn one of the top seeds in the NCS playoffs.

Miramonte suffered another DFAL defeat, losing on Friday night to Las Lomas, 35-21. With the loss, the Matadors drop to 1-3 in DFAL play and 3-5 overall. The Matadors are likely to miss the NCS playoffs this year.

Campolindo had a bye this week. Their next game is at Acalanes Friday night, Nov. 6, at 7:00 p.m.

Next week’s special Moraga Town Council meeting to continue discussion on the Rancho Laguna II project will be at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Moraga library, 1500 St. Mary’s Road.

This meeting was called so council could have additional time to deliberate and provide direction to staff on what else they may need to make a decision (which likely won’t come until at least January). Council members had little time to discuss on Wednesday because remarks by the developer, those appealing the project and the public lasted until about 11:30 p.m. Mayor Dave Trotter told both the developer and appellants that Wednesday’s meeting would be short.

Here’s this morning’s story about this past Wednesday’s council meeting.

As a reverse commuter through the Caldecott from Oakland to Walnut Creek, I can’t wait for the fourth bore to open. That’s why I was happy too see some time made during last night’s Town Council meeting for an update. And I wasn’t the only one excited about the project.

Mayor Dave Trotter provided one moment of levity when he said how much his oldest son used to love driving through the Caldecott, and “He particularly liked the middle ‘tun-tun.’”

That would be the one I never get to use.

Trotter also prodded the Caltrans project manager giving the presentation on the tunnel for news about the Bay Bridge, and when she said she had none, he turned to Caltrans employee and Moraga Vice Mayor Ken Chew for an update.

No luck there, either. “No comment,” Chew said.

Full story on the Rancho Laguna II appeal coming later today.

I recently received some criticism from a follower of local high school volleyball for only covering high school football on this blog during the fall season. I agree that our local girls volleyball teams are worthy of some coverage, so here is my first high school volleyball post of the season.

The top of the DFAL standings are all Lamorinda with Miramonte in first, Campolindo in second and Acalanes in third.

Miramonte has been perfect in DFAL play, winning all nine of their matches. They are 16-1 overall and are a favorite to win the NCS Championships.

Campolindo’s main problem has been Miramonte, as the Cougars have gone 7-2 in DFAL play with both losses coming to the Matadors.

Acalanes is 5-3 in DFAL play and is trying hard to hold onto third place in the DFAL.

Campolindo and Acalanes are both likely to make the NCS playoffs where they will hope to get one more chance at knocking off Miramonte.