The City of Gilroy is always in need of good people with fresh
ideas and attitudes to serve on the city council. This coming
November’s election might be your chance to put your talents,
vision and executive skills to work in helping to shape the future
of your hometown.
The City of Gilroy is always in need of good people with fresh ideas and attitudes to serve on the city council. This coming November’s election might be your chance to put your talents, vision and executive skills to work in helping to shape the future of your hometown.
As admirable as public service is, the commitment to seek a seat on the council shouldn’t be taken lightly. Service on the city council requires a lot from you and from your family. The hours are long. Twenty or more hours a week are required for council meetings, study sessions, meetings with citizens, answering telephone calls and emails from residents. And, every telephone call and email should be answered. There are also extra assignments such as membership on local, regional, county and state boards and commissions on which the city needs to be represented. And, if you are going to cast an informed vote there are hours of study needed before each meeting.
In addition to the commitment of time you must make, it also helps to have a thick skin and unshakable self-confidence. Occasionally one of your best efforts and well-reasoned votes toward improving your community will draw the ire of some citizens. They probably won’t be shy about voicing their displeasure.
And, probably the most perplexing and inexcusable of all problems, you may be elected to a dysfunctional council where you will try to work with and build consensus with other council members who seem predisposed to disagree with everything that you say, and who try to score political points off every position you take. Hopefully, the voters will not tolerate that situation for very long.
This isn’t meant to dissuade you from considering a run for city council. Just a reminder that a decision to run for public office is a major commitment.
In spite of all this, the rewards are significant and far outweigh the sacrifices. There are many issues facing the city. Foremost at this time, are balancing the city budget and the related issues of whether to contract with outside agencies for police, fire and other city services.
And of course, there are the recurring issues of residential growth rate, economic development, gang violence and the state of our parks and recreation programs. There is also the 30-year-old issue of sidewalk and storm drain repair, which has been periodically addressed and subsequently ignored by several past councils. If elected, you will have the opportunity to help solve some of these problems and to shape the future of your chosen hometown.
There is nothing more rewarding than to see your efforts and vision transform your community into a better place. You should have a clear vision for addressing these and other issues.
If you think a run for a council seat is something you would like to do, I recommend a few actions.
First, attend as many of the council meetings and study sessions as you can. If you are a serious candidate, attend every one. Watching the meetings on your TV, with an adult beverage in your hand, isn’t a substitute for attending in person. The interactions between council members and also between council members and city staff don’t always come across on your TV and are important to observe.
Download the council study packet from the city website. It is posted 72 hours ahead of every meeting. If you don’t have access to a computer and printer you can, for a nominal fee, receive a paper copy of the study packet from the city clerk.
Study the packet. You will then have most of the information available to the council members. You will not only have a better grasp of each issue, but by observing the questions asked and the course of the council discussion you will be able to tell which council members have prepared for the vote and which have not.
The bottom line is that the city council needs good, well-prepared people with strong leadership qualifications, fresh outlooks, good common sense and the strong desire to make the City of Gilroy a better place.
How about stepping up and offering your services?
Mike Gilroy is a former Gilroy mayor and councilman who is retired and living in Texas. Interested in writing a guest
column? Contact Editor Mark Derry at
ed****@ga****.com
