Gilroy Mayor shines light on city budget
Gilroy – Residents wondering about the city’s spending priorities and what can – or can’t – be done with local tax dollars can attend a series of public meetings starting Tuesday. Mayor Al Pinheiro and City Administrator Jay Baksa will hold four meetings at schools throughout the community to illuminate the inner workings of Gilroy’s $126-million budget.
Residents looking to study up before the meetings can find the city’s five-year budget online. The attached budget message departs from the gloomy predictions of past years and details plans to end a three-year hiring freeze. City officials are planning to add two dozen employees, put $500,000 or more into sidewalk repairs and restore funding for other programs cut back in recent years.
Only $35 million of the city’s $126-million budget goes toward operating expenses, the vast majority of which goes to pay for salaries and benefits of Gilroy’s 270 public employees.
The remaining $90 million is spread across several pots of money that support new buildings, roads, sewers and other public improvements. Money in those funds is reserved for specific uses.
Join the Halloween Run
Gilroy – The 15th annual Halloween Run co-sponsored by Gavilan Joggers and Striders and the Gilroy Recreation Dept. will be Saturday, Oct. 28. Registration is at 730am. There are two races: The 10k race is at 9am and 5k at 9:15am.
Details: Richard at 842-4145 or e-mail rj********@*****il.com, Web site, active.com
It’s Teen Read Week
Gilroy – Teen Read Week is an annual, national promotion of teen reading, and the Gilroy Library will celebrate teen reading by displaying the books nominated for best by teens. Teens can check out the books and vote for their favorite titles either in the library or online. Ballots turned in at the library will receive a prize, one per person. All ballots will be entered into a drawing at the end of the week.
Details: Gilroy Library 842-8207 or www.santaclaracountylib.org/teen/teen_read_week_voting.html
‘Soul Terrain’ auditions
Gilroy – The Gilroy Community Services Department and John Bisceglie Present auditions for “Soul Terrain.” Motown meets the jungle in this all singing, all dancing wild revue. Auditions will be held Saturday, at the Gilroy Senior Center, 7371 Hanna St. Ages 5 to 10 at 1pm, ages 11 to 14 at 2:30pm and ages 15 to 18 at 4pm. Prepare to sing a short song without music and wear comfortable clothing.
Details: Cathy at 846-8836
Event raises money for youth sports programs
Gilroy – The Bonfante Harvest Ride will return to Bonfante Gardens in Gilroy Saturday, and will offer 50K to 100K and 100 mile recreational rides for serious cyclists.
The ride attracts cyclists from all over and includes exhibits, a meal and swap meet at Bonfante Gardens base camp.Proceeds benefit sports and recreational groups including at Gilroy high and Gilroy’s Parks and Recreation Department.
Fees vary by distance and include discounted admission to Bonfante Gardens.
Details: www.bonfanteride.com or 682-4700.
MySpace seminar
Gilroy – The public is invited to attend a free seminar staged by Mount Madonna School titled “Raising a Moral Child in the MySpace Era,” on Oct. 26 from 7 to 8pm in the Gilroy Library. Sarada Diffenbaugh, Mount Madonna principal and educator, will lead the discussion and talk about the key principles needed to raise an ethical child. The Gilroy library is located at 7387 Rosanna St.
Send news items to City Editor Robert Airoldi. FAX to 842-2206, mail to Gilroy Dispatch, 6400 Monterey Road, Gilroy, CA 95020, or e-mail ed****@****ic.com
