The ideal of representative democracy is alive and well in Gilroy.
At presstime, eight people, including two incumbents, Daniel Harney and Cat Tucker, have pulled papers to run for Gilroy City Council in November.
There are three council seats up for grabs.
The initial deadline for prospective candidates to get all their nominating papers to the city’s election official, the city clerk, was Aug. 12.
However, because current Councilmember Terri Aulman did not file for re-election, a five-day extension for any non-incumbent applicants kicked in, and the deadline was moved to Wednesday (Aug. 17).
In order to qualify to run, prospective candidates need at least 20 registered voters in the city of Gilroy to nominate them.
At presstime the following individuals are running for City Council:
Reid Lerner, an architect who won design awards for historic preservation in Morgan Hill and wrote a letter to the City Council in December calling for more time and information before making a decision on annexing 721 acres of farmland for the Rancho Los Olivos housing development.
Craig Gartman, a former City Council and Planning Commission member who five years ago pleaded no contest to charges he stole more than $8,000 in donations from a Memorial Day Parade committee he chaired. His record has since been cleared after he made restitution, did community service and served two years probation.
J Brennan, a corporate auditor and entrepreneur who is running for public office for the first time.
Fred Tovar, the son of former farmworkers and current Gilroy Unified School District board president, he wants to take his eight years of school board experience to a first-time seat on the council. Tovar has worked at Stanford University School of Medicine for more than 15 years and serves as the irector of student affairs, assistant director of admissions for Stanford University School of Medicine Primary Care.
Tom Fischer, a five-year member of the city’s planning commission who ran unsuccessfully for a council seat two years ago.
Paul Kloecker, an age-defying community volunteer who served three four-year terms on the Gilroy City Council in 1983, 1987 and 1991, in addition to serving on various regional bodies including ABAG (Association of Bay Area Governments).
Daniel Harney, who was selected to fill the council seat after a dais shuffle following the resignation of former Mayor Don Gage in December. Harney serves on the governing board of the new Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE), of which Gilroy is a member
Cat Tucker, who has been on the Gilroy City Council since December 2007 and has served on the county LAFCO Board. Before being elected to the council she served on the city’s planning commission for eight years.
At presstime, only Tovar and Gartman have not had their nominating papers submitted or verified.
New blood
Brennan, a Gilroy resident for 16 years, is a former manager at the former Gilroy nightclub The Gaslighter (located where The District Theater is now), holding various jobs there from 1998 to 2003. Featuring live music and line dancing, Brennan said, “All the kids went to the shows back then—it was hopping for years.”
As a volunteer for the downtown Fifth Street Live Series that introduced food trucks along Gourmet Alley this year and was a big hit with visitors, Brennan is eager to rekindle some of that early magic and make it an ongoing thing.
“Downtown is one of the most important issues in the short run. There are lots of opportunities for growth right there,” he said.
Looking for input from the community, Brennan has even gone to social media and posted a poll on Facebook, introducing himself and asking people for what they want in Gilroy.
“I’m not a part of the political machine,” he said. “I want to bring in fresh blood to revitalize the council and focus on what the people of Gilroy really want.”
Mayoral race
Councilmember Roland Velasco, who earlier this year announced he would run for mayor of Gilroy, will vie for the post against incumbent Mayor Perry Woodward.
If Velasco wins the mayor’s race, Woodward will be off the council. In this scenario, the council could either appoint someone to take Velasco’s seat, or hold a special election to fill the seat for the remaining term ending in November 2018.
However, if Velasco loses his mayoral bid, he will retain his council seat for the remainder of his term, which ends in November 2018.
We will have more reports on the council race and individual candidates in the coming weeks.
