Kudos to Mayor Al Pinheiro for setting up a community round
table meeting to explore issues facing the city. It’s a
conversation starter that could prove valuable depending on what
happens next. That’s the key
– what’s next?
Kudos to Mayor Al Pinheiro for setting up a community round table meeting to explore issues facing the city. It’s a conversation starter that could prove valuable depending on what happens next. That’s the key – what’s next?
There really wasn’t a whole lot of debate at the meeting which involved 20-something community members representing city commissions, the development community, education and interested residents. Many community members gave quite a chunk of their time generously and even County Supervisor Don Gage made the meeting a priority.
Though the format didn’t foster debate, there were ideas worth pursuing. Those included streamlining the city’s permitting process to help rather than hinder new business, a suggestion for a city co-sponsored “shop local” campaign to keep sales tax dollars at home, exploring a two-tier benefit system for city employees to reduce labor costs, and setting up a one-stop shopping center for residents interested in volunteering their time.
What’s going to happen next – beyond distributing notes to City Council members before their upcoming priority-setting retreat – is still up in the air. That’s OK, but a plan that asesses how to break down the mayor’s very broad agenda topics and actually get more feedback from community members while educating them on pertinent issues like economic development and the cost of public safety employees is necessary if the process is going to truly become useful.
The mayor should strongly consider bringing in outside experts who have no local political agenda and no baggage, to speak, answer questions and offer thoughts on subjects like co-ordinating volunteers, economic development, and employee benefit costs.
The entire City Council, of course, should be included in any further meetings and Mayor Pinheiro understands that a special meeting format, which is inclusive of fellow elected officials, would be far preferable. Without full Council buy-in, any further effort is doomed. That said, those officials will have to understand that the format is one that calls for more listening and less “official” talking.
Hopefully, this effort can remain positive and Council members can engage the community with regards to what should be the real agenda: What’s good for Gilroy?
There is some potential in this process that should not be battered by naysaying, exclusion or petty politics. What’s good for Gilroy is too important for that.
Reaching out to the community is a good idea. Making that connection productive and keeping this initial effort out of the black hole of wasted time, is the path to success.
