GILROY
– After one Councilman had already asked the city to reschedule
an orientation for new City Council members, another one skipped
the day-long session Tuesday.
Newly elected Councilman Paul Correa, a private land-use
consultant, said he had a
”
critical work issue
”
arise that he could not miss and hopes city staff
”
will be understanding.
”
GILROY – After one Councilman had already asked the city to reschedule an orientation for new City Council members, another one skipped the day-long session Tuesday.
Newly elected Councilman Paul Correa, a private land-use consultant, said he had a “critical work issue” arise that he could not miss and hopes city staff “will be understanding.”
The session brought together 11 city department heads from the City Attorney and City Treasurer to the police and fire department chiefs. The session is designed to get new Council members acquainted with all aspects of city government and to give them an opportunity to ask questions and bring up individual concerns.
“There’s a big difference when it’s six others asking the staff questions about a particular agenda item,” said Russ Valiquette, the other newly elected Gilroy City Councilman. “It’s like sitting down and talking one-on-one with your professor versus going to a regular class lecture.”
Valiquette said he “felt bad” Correa could not make Tuesday’s session since the original meeting date – which Correa could attend – was rescheduled at his request.
“That was the day I was with my father for an operation he was having,” Valiquette said.
Correa said he would call City Administrator Jay Baksa to see if he could meet individually with city department heads at other times. Correa, who served on the Gilroy Planning Commission from 2001 to 2003, said the missed session would not keep him in the dark on city issues.
“I’ve never been behind the curve,” Correa said.
It’s unclear how staff feels regarding the Correa’s absence. Baksa would not comment other than saying Correa was absent “due to a work emergency.”
Correa and Valiquette have attended the three regular City Council meetings held since they were seated Dec. 1.
Both men had perfect Planning Commission attendance in 2003. However, city records show that in 2002 Correa missed seven commission meetings and Valiquette missed one.
