It’s the Gilroy version of the Twilight Zone … there’s a $21.4
million surplus in the City Hall coffers, meanwhile city workers
are on furlough and double meanwhile no residents are complaining
about the work changes at City Hall. What’s it all mean?
It’s the Gilroy version of the Twilight Zone … there’s a $21.4 million surplus in the City Hall coffers, meanwhile city workers are on furlough and double meanwhile no residents are complaining about the work changes at City Hall. What’s it all mean? Well, the current status quo could well represent what should be the city government economic reset. Perhaps all should be left alone – if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Grow the city surplus and distribute a good portion to worthwhile community endeavors, whether that’s the Downtown Business Association or the Visitor’s Bureau or a new incubation program for targeted businesses downtown. The next six months, regardless, should prove interesting at City Hall.
Interesting that the Gilroy Little League – ya know, mom, apple pie and local business sponsorships – is reportedly going way out of town to buy the uniforms for the kids’ backs. Little League should have the backs of local businesses, and there are a few which could certainly use that uniform and silkscreening business. Don’t think the local sponsors would be happy to know Gilroy Little League is taking their sponsorship money and shipping it out of town. In fact, it should be in the Little League bylaws that purchases, to the greatest extent possible, be made locally. And the folks running independent travelling teams who raise funds locally, too, ought to be advised to do likewise.
Likewise, administrators at the school district should be advised to deal straightforwardly with issues like the arrest of the track coach for DUI while on a school field trip instead of “hoping it just goes away” and is swept under the rug. Sure, the incident makes the school district look bad. But people – for the most part – understand that all stupid actions of employees can’t be controlled. When district administrators “hide out” for a week after the incident and then initially deliver a series of “no comments, it’s a personnel issue” it just makes matters worse. Parents have a right to know what procedures are in place. They have a right to know why the school district didn’t have Alvin Harrison’s driver’s license on file. The district has an obligation to answer all the surrounding questions. If it’s “we screwed up and we’re going to change this procedure and investigate exactly what happened and, if necessary, make personnel changes,” then so be it. Tell it straight, follow through on what needs to get done and earn the community’s respect. It’s that simple. Hiding and hoping is a losing strategy in every respect.
Complete respect is what I have for Art Silva, and the fact that a longtime coach of youth sports in our community – a guy with a heart of gold – was summarily fired by track coach Alvin Harrison a week before Harrison’s meltdown is an absolute travesty. Art coached my daughter in youth soccer, and, after one practice, I knew he was a real gem – patient, positive, organized hard working, gracious and helpful. Art’s all the things you would write down that you’d want in a youth sports coach. Glad that GHS Athletic Director Jack Daley quickly re-instated him. It’s only right.
It’s only right for some students to get free money and for applications from local high school students to flow into the chamber for the Gilroy 2011 Business and Education Scholarship. Up to $3,500 is available to qualified high school seniors graduating in 2011. Application deadline is Friday, May 13. Forms at www.gilroy.org. Susan Valenta at the chamber, 842-6437, with questions about the free money.
Don’t believe there’s free money involved, but there’s free fun with a local twist for fans of the HGTV show “My First Place.” Longtime Gilroy teacher Pat Kloecker and daughter, Valerie, will be featured on the show next Tuesday, reports husband, father and former Councilmember Paul Kloecker. Daughter Val purchased her first home in El Cerrito last year, Paul writes, and adds with his signature dry wit, “I also reported it to CNN, but Wolf B. wasn’t too interested. You were my next choice.”
It isn’t de facto Gilroy Mayor Rich Perez’s choice to chant, “Beat LA”, but the man who runs the mailroom for the San Jose Sharks – and happens to be an avid LA Dodgers fan – has little choice this week. Perez will be taking up the favored rallying cry of World Champion San Francisco Giants fans as the Sharks take on the LA Kings in round one of the Stanley Cup playoffs. BTW, I have a great black-and-orange “Beat LA” ballcap, Rich, if you’d like to borrow it.
You can’t borrow a new dog or a new book Sunday at Booksmart in Morgan Hill. But you can adopt a new friend from the South County Animal Shelter which will be holding an adoption fair from 11 a.m to 3 p.m. at the 80 E. 2nd St. location. There will be onsite guidance and counseling to help with questions. Doreen Smith at (408) 910-9194 has more details.
Only a few more weeks to nail down the details in your recipe for submission to the Garlic Festival’s world famous Cook-Off competition. Would love for another local to win it. Deanna Franklin, committee chairperson and winner of the friendliest banker award, is running the show this year. One year, many moons ago, Miss Jenny and I made the first contest cut after working all weekend to perfect “Garlicchoke Cioppino” which featured fresh al dente artichoke hearts and a seafood variation on 40-clove chicken. Enter early and often – details gilroygarlicfestival.com …
And wouldn’t it be great to have the fabulous Gilroy boxing champ, Robert Guerrero, and his lovely wife, Casey, make a guest appearance on the Cook-Off Stage during our July fest. Sorry, DeLo and Dave, unlike the Daygo Brothers, The Ghost’s robes and world championship belt – not to mention the six-pack and the left jab – will be real.
Reach Editor Mark Derry at editor at garlic.com.
