Politics

The high stakes power play to find an end game for Gilroy's unreinforced masonry building issue – a 30-year saga concerning the plight of downtown’s 18 buildings deemed structurally unfit to survive a major earthquake – took a giant step in the City's favor Monday night in Council chambers.

The City of Gilroy is currently recruiting to fill four vacant seats on various boards and committees. According to the City, boards and commissions were established for the purpose of advising the City Council and providing ongoing input into policies and issues affecting the future of Gilroy.

The City of Gilroy will have its regular meeting at 6 p.m. Monday in Council Chambers, located at 7351 Rosanna St. Here are some of the upcoming items on the agenda.

It's been less than a month since City Council directed staff to further investigate financing options for downtown’s 18 unreinforced masonry buildings (deemed structurally unfit to survive a major earthquake) and to report back in the fall.

Nearly one month after Heather Pacheco bested 12 other contestants in a competition aimed at getting a new business into one of Gilroy's 24 vacant downtown properties, the Garlic Capital is on track to boast the “best new trend in affordable luxury” – but the process hasn’t been smooth sailing for the winner in her quest to find exactly the right building for her new “blow-dry bar.”

A more than 20-year run of auditing the City of Gilroy's financial statements has come to an end for nationwide-firm Mayer Hoffman McCann P.C.

The Santa Clara County Clerk Recorder’s office continues to see a growing demand for marriage licenses following last month’s court rulings that upheld same-sex unions in California, as the office issued more licenses Friday than any other day in County history, according to County staff.

Following Mayor Don Gage's explanation of the “why” behind his proposed plan for a “Quality of Life” bond measure, Council members listened to the “how” from the City's Finance Director Christina Turner and President /CEO Catherine Lew of the Oakland-based Lew Edwards Group, during Monday night's regular City Council meeting.

From job lay-offs, to incomes that aren’t enough to gain a foothold in Gilroy's rental market, to having nowhere to go after getting out of prison, to battling drug and alcohol addictions or mental illness, the reasons for homelessness in the Garlic Capital vary from person to person.

Citing the struggles that South County farmers face on a daily basis - including a short water supply and competition from imported products - the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce has weighed in on the debate over raising the minimum wage in unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County.