The choice was between two dissimilar jobs – the Santa Clara
County School Board of Education and a spot on the board of
directors for the Santa Clara Valley Water District – but SCVWD’s
at-large Director Sahib
”
Cy
”
Mann chose the school board.
The choice was between two dissimilar jobs – the Santa Clara County School Board of Education and a spot on the board of directors for the Santa Clara Valley Water District – but SCVWD’s at-large Director Sahib “Cy” Mann chose the school board.
By 11 a.m. Wednesday, Mann had filed and qualified to run in the county school board race, according to Elma Rosas, media officer for the county Registrar of Voters. Mann will run unopposed. He did not return phone calls this morning.
Mann said in an e-mailed statement that “after discussion with my family and evaluation of my passion for public service, I have decided to file papers to run for the Santa Clara County Board of Education which will allow more time for family and to serve my constituents.”
Now, without any inkling publicly about his interest in the school board position Mann will begin campaigning as potential trustee for area 7 that covers the school districts: Alum Rock Union, Mount Pleasant, Morgan Hill Unified and Gilroy Unified and corresponding portion of East Side Union High school districts. Incumbent Jane Howard decided not to seek re-election for the four-year term.
Mann has a ranch on Hale Avenue in Morgan Hill and a home in the Evergreen area of South San Jose.
Since the question of if he would run for the water board was asked of Mann, he’s been adamant about running “and running hard” for his seat against termed-out county Supervisor Don Gage.
Mann also wrote in the e-mail that he has “truly enjoyed serving my constituents and the public” and that he “looks forward to continuing to serve the community with the same level of passion I have shown on the Water District Board in ensuring strong educational opportunities for our children.”
Mann recently led an effort to create a youth advisory committee for the SCVWD.
In April, the redrawing of the county’s water districts unfolded into a gerrymandered, politically-motivated move, orchestrated by the district and carried through by Mann, among others.
It pinned Morgan Hill Mayor Steve Tate, Gilroy Mayor Al Pinheiro and Gage against Mann in a they said-he said over who was behind the mess that led to the Gilroy City Council threatening legal action against the district.
In May, through a public information request it was discovered Mann purchased a fully-loaded 64 gig iPad on the water district’s dime as part of a yearly stipend for each director. It’s uncertain whether Mann will keep the iPad upon his departure from the district this fall.
Last week, it was reported Mann had not paid his water bill on time for eight years for his well on Hale Avenue and said he was not going to run for the water board. Mann told the Morgan Hill Times the morning of Aug. 4 that he was indeed running “for my seat.” Later that afternoon, Mann pulled papers to run for the county board of education.
“My work speaks for itself, it hasn’t (prohibited) my ability to serve and it won’t. I still think I’m one of the stronger, one of the better working directors out there,” Mann said Aug. 5.
