A personal thank you from the city administrator

City manager bids farewell, Supervisor Don Gage gets a lashing
over nursery proposal and a reader questions Mayor Al Pinheiro’s
ongoing backroom deal politics
A personal thank you from the city administrator after 24 years

Dear Editor,

I would like to personally thank all the citizens of Gilroy for giving me the opportunity to serve you as your City Administrator for the last 24 and an a half years. I am extremely grateful for the support you have given to our government, staff, and me over all these years.

There is an old saying in the city management profession that goes something like this, “you come to a community for the job, and you stay because of the character of the town”.

From our first days in Gilroy back in 1983, my family and I have always felt welcome because the character of this town is one of caring and involvement. My wife and I raised our family here and we plan on staying in this wonderful town after my retirement to continue to do what we can to improve the character of Gilroy.

I left my office on Friday, Jan. 4 having had the unique opportunity of staying in one community for well over two decades, and though there have been some rough spots at times, a great deal of progress has been accomplished. However, most importantly, I have always felt honored in representing you, the citizens of Gilroy.

I also wish to thank all the mayors and City Council members that I served with over the years. It was an honor to serve you and help you make this community the excellent city it is.

I especially want to thank all the city department heads, staff and employees of the City of Gilroy. You are the team, the players, that makes our organization one of the most highly respected and regarded in the state. Your support of me is truly appreciated and will never be forgotten.

My primary goal in choosing public management as a profession and career was to help make things better. After reflecting on my 24-plus years I truly hope that in some small way that I was able to make your life a little better. If I did, mission accomplished.

Again, thanks to all of you and God bless.

Jay Baksa, City Administrator, City of Gilroy (now retired)

Supervisor plays both sides and doesn’t have his facts straight

Dear Editor,

The story about the “Planned Nursery” on Maple Avenue missed several “key” points. This isn’t just about a group of neighbors and their concerns, but it is about Santa Clara County appointed Commissioners and the elected Board of Supervisors not doing their job in serving the people.

Residents of Maple Avenue were informed in Nov. ’06 that a nursery was being proposed for the end of the street. Since that time homeowners of Maple Avenue have attended the Planning Commission meetings that pertained to the proposed nursery. In Dec. ’06 San Martin residents asked that the San Martin Planning Advisory Committee and the Morgan Hill Planning Department be allowed to comment on the proposed nursery. (Note: Maple Avenue is split down the middle of the street with one side being San Martin and the other side Morgan Hill.) On Dec. 26, a letter from Director Michael Lopez stated to both San Martin and Morgan Hill Planning Committees that their comments would be taken into consideration. SMPAC was prepared and expecting to discuss this issue at the monthly meeting. Bill Shue of the Santa Clara Planning Department attended the SMPAC meetings the following months maintaining that SMPAC was NOT to discuss the “retail nursery” project nor we’re they allowed to comment as a collective. Reasoning for this was never made clear and at the following Santa Clara Planning Commission meeting the commissioners were told that SMPAC did not have a comment on the proposed project.

Planning Department staff is paid to do their due diligence when applicants apply for permits. In Oct. ’05 the applicant for this project submitted an Environmental Information Form that failed to provide accurate information. Their form states that “retail” businesses are in this neighborhood, the project will have no effect on pedestrians or vehicular traffic, and the project will not be located on a cul-de-sac or dead-end road.

At the appeal hearing in Dec. ’07, Supervisor Don Gage was questioned as to why this falsified information was accepted. Gage asked staff member Mark Connelly to respond, who stated, “They do the best they can when filling out those forms.” I guess the fact that the homes in this area are “owner occupied single-family dwellings” and are on a dead-end street which contains no retail businesses is somehow easy for an applicant overlook, right?

In 2000 residents on Maple Avenue made concerns known to Santa Clara Commissioners about an applicants request for an Attached Secondary Dwelling. The issue about this project was the home would not be “owner occupied” as all the other homes on the street are. The property owner had been sited for violations before but the commissioners approved it regardless. Over the past seven years the homeowner’s on Maple Avenue have had to repeatedly notify the county of the continued violations of this property owner.

Providing petitions and voicing our concerns of a “retail” business creating traffic congestion, excessive noise, intersection accidents, etc. did not make a difference to the Commissioner’s, instead they approved this project with mitigated measures.

At the Dec. 07′ appeal Maple Avenue residents asked Supervisor Gage how the “mitigated measures” were expected to be monitored. He responded the county “budgets” for monitoring and it is expected homeowners will alert them to violations. This is our tax dollars at work! The prior complaints and violations that San Martin residents have made to the Planning Department have been meet with band-aids, what is expected to happen when a “retail” business is built at the end of our street?

We were told by paying $1,208 for an appeal the Board of Supervisors would accurately investigate this issue. At the appeal no Supervisor asked any questions nor commented on any of the documents that were provided to them. One supervisor who voted was out of the room throughout most of the hearing. Gage says a nursery already existed at the location of the Maple Avenue site. The fact is the Maple Ave. site has never had a nursery on it, he should recheck his facts!

As San Martin homeowners our only recourse of action is to sue the County of Santa Clara. As a LAFCO board member, Supervisor Gage is in favor of Maple Avenue (AREA 4) being a part of the proposed boundary for San Martin which would maintain an urban buffer and greenbelt. Why is it that as a supervisor, Gage would then vote in favor of a “Retail Business” being built on this very same street? Is he playing both sides of the fence, I wonder?

Trina Hineser, San Martin

Mayor’s still a backdoor deal man who wants to keep the public out

Dear Editor,

Did I read this right, the letter to the editor from Mayor Al Pinheiro? Did the mayor scold the editorial board for daring to ask that the purchasing agreement and lease (between the city and Gilroy Gardens) be disclosed so we can comment on them? During the campaign, the mayor said he would work to make more city business transparent. Well Mr. Mayor, I’m waiting!

I don’t believe the editorial board is running around with their hair on fire, just the opposite. I think the editorial board is asking the mayor to keep his word, his promise, his commitment to the Gilroy community and not just try to pull another fast one on the public.

Mayor, you say you are doing what is legal, but is what you are doing the right thing to do for Gilroy, keeping this information a secret until the final documents are completed? I feel we need to give our input as the agreement is being drafted instead of waiting until the 11th hour when we will be told there is no time to waste. We have seen this trick before played on the City Council by others.

And another issue I have with your comments Mr. Mayor, when is it a bad thing for “too many people getting involved?” You don’t want the community to see what you and staff are doing?

As to your other comment, “There are two council members coming right off the campaign trail, and they are making a point.” I can only hope your point is that they are fulfilling their promises to the community. I am glad to see two council members who want to read, study and ask questions before they make such a major decision and not be like the other council members who are going to wait until staff tells them which way to vote.

Mr. Mayor, stop complaining and support those council members who want to do the needed work so they can make their own decisions.

James Brescoll, Gilroy