#debi pomeroy

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This is such a nifty, upbeat song, and those drums (played by Debi Pomeroy)...so great!

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By Melissa McKenzie

The first calendars of 2019 for the Santa Clara City Council are up. Here’s how our seven elected officials spent their month.

Mayor Lisa Gillmor Early in January, Mayor Lisa Gillmor met with Council Member Kathy Watanabe and Zero Emissions Recreational Organization, Inc.’s President Dean Stanford about the Police Activities League (PAL) track. Later on Jan. 3, she met with Santa Clara Police Officers Association Interim President Alex Torke about the union. On Jan. 10 she met with resident Harbir Bhatia and community member Jasmeet Kaur regarding citizenship.

The Mayor notched her only meeting with a developer when she had a phone meeting with Related’s Executive Vice President Steve Eimer on Jan. 25 to discuss “The Related Company’s New Santa Clara offices.”

The majority of the remainder of her recorded calendar items were public events, public meetings and events for invited guests.

Vice Mayor Patricia Mahan The Vice Mayor only recorded three items in January, all of which were public meetings.

Council Member Kathy Watanabe Council Member Kathy Watanabe met with the CORE Companies’ Senior Development Manager Vince Cantore and Vice President of Development Paul Ring regarding Agrihood on Jan. 10. The CORE Companies’ project was approved by Council on Jan. 29.

Four days later, Watanabe met with David Bini, executive director of the Santa Clara and San Benito Counties Building and Construction Trades Council regarding construction projects.

Ten dates after, on Jan. 24, she recorded a meeting with Omid Shakeri, president of ECCO Buildders, Inc. about 1530-1540 Pomeroy Ave., where an eight-unit townhome project has been proposed. On Jan. 25 she met with Lakeshore Homeowners Association members regarding stadium issues and parking concerns.

Near the end of the month, on Jan. 28, Watanabe had a second meeting regarding Agrihood with members of SV@Home and she recorded a second meeting with Bini on Jan. 29. She ended her month meeting with Council Member Debi Davis and members of the Silicon Valley Korean American Federation to discuss a potential Friendship City relationship with Icheon, Korea.

Nearly all of Watanabe’s other recorded calendar items were public meetings or public events.

Council Member Teresa O’Neill Council Member Teresa O’Neill spent much of January in meetings regarding VTA, of which she is on the board. Her first non-public meeting, event or VTA item was on Jan. 8 when she met with the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition (SVBC) about SVBC issues.

Three days later, on Jan. 11, she met with Rod Diridon, Sr. about Santa Clara County Transportation issues. On Jan. 14 she recorded time with International Rescue Committee members about Santa Clara’s naturalization program.

On Jan. 21 O’Neill met with resident Clysta McLemore regarding pedestrian safety and access issues. Two days later the Council Member met with UA Local Union 393 Plumbers, Steamfitters and HVACR Service Technicians Political and Communications Director Jean Cohen about upcoming construction projects.

Catalyze SV founder, local business owner and San Jose resident Kirk Vartan showed up on O’Neill’s calendar when he, along with San Jose’s Vice Mayor Chappie Jones and Chief of Staff David Gomez and  San Jose resident Ken Pyle, met about “city governance meeting on new transportation policies and methods” on Jan. 23.

A day later, O’Neill met with The CORE Companies’ Ring and Cantore on Agrihood and later that day she recorded a meeting with Planning Commissioner Suds Jain about transportation issues.

On Jan. 25 O’Neill met with Bruce Donoghue, resident and Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) member about the committee and on Jan. 28 she shared a hike and lunch with members of the Santa Cruz County Board of Trustees member Rose Flicetti, Foothill-De Anza Community College District Board of Trustees member Pearl Cheng and former member of Cupertino Unified School District Board of Trustees Jo Lucey.

Most of O’Neill’s other recorded items were public events and meetings.

Council Member Debi Davis Council Member Debi Davis recorded her first lobbyist meeting when she met with Carlene Matchniff for lunch and to discuss the Irvine Company’s projects on Jan. 10. Later that day, she recorded her second lobbyist meeting with Cantore and Ring of The CORE Companies about Agrihood.

Davis’ third lobbyist meeting came when she notched time with Bini about upcoming construction projects on Jan. 17.

On Jan. 30 she met with Butch Coyne of Santa Clara University for lunch to discuss SCU Presents updates.

Most of Davis’ additional recorded items were public meetings and events.

Council Members Raj Chahal and Karen Hardy Santa Clara’s two newest Council Members continued their tradition of keeping their calendars light. Both only recorded public events and meetings in January.

View all Council Member calendars here.

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By Melissa McKenzie

With the holidays, December proved to be a short month for Santa Clara City Council Members, but many still managed to notch meetings of note.

Mayor Lisa Gillmor The first half of the mayor’s calendar was public events, meetings and invited guest events including a birthday celebration of “His Majesty the Emperor of Japan” (Dec. 5), Santa Clara Sporting Club holiday dinner (Dec. 8) and Dolly Gendreau’s 100th birthday celebration (Dec. 10). Her first meeting of note was Dec. 17 with William Fairweather of the International Alliance of Theatrical State Employees Local 168 regarding the Santa Clara Convention Center. On Dec. 19 she attended an event welcoming business people from China and a day later visited Community Day School with Council Member Kathy Watanabe and members of the Santa Clara Unified Scholl District Board of Trustees.

Gillmor’s most interesting meeting, however, occurred on Dec. 27 when she had a “Christmas lunch” with Council Member Debi Davis and lobbyist Cynthia James of James Consulting. There was no mention of what the topic of discussion was, but James is the consultant/lobbyist for both SummerHill Homes and California’s Great America.

Council Member Kathy Watanabe Watanabe, who served as Vice Mayor until recently, also spent the first half of her December attending public meetings and events, and also was present at Gendreau’s birthday party on Dec. 10.

On Dec. 11, she met with Davis and members of Santa Clara’s Water and Sewer Utilities department and San Jose’s Environment Services department to discuss the Dec. 13 San Jose/Santa Clara Treatment Plant Advisory Committee meeting and on Dec. 14, she met with the Healthier Kids Foundation, although there was no mention of what they discussed.

The remainder of her calendar was filled with public meetings and events.

Council Member Raj Chahal The newly elected Chahal only had six items listed on his December calendar, five of which were public meetings or events. His only meeting of note was a meeting on Dec. 20 regarding Related Companies, which was attended by newly elected Council Member Karen Hardy, Council Member Teresa O’Neill, City Manager Deanna Santana, Chief Operating Officer Walter Rossmann, Assistant City Manager Ruth Shikada, Assistant City Manager Manuel Pineda, City Attorney Brian Doyle, Environmental Risk Services Corporation’s Chief Operating Officer Mark O’Brien and Chair of Burke Williams and Sorensen, LLP’s Real Estate and Business Practice Group Anna Shimko.

Council Member Karen Hardy Hardy, too, only had a few meetings in December. Five of her calendar items were public events or meetings and the only meeting of note was the aforementioned meeting regarding Related on Dec. 20.

Council Member Teresa O’Neill O’Neill began December with a handful of public events and meetings, including her monthly resident meeting Q&A on Dec. 2. Many of her December meetings involved the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), and although not public meetings, were related to her involvement with the VTA Board of Directors and various VTA committees.

On Dec. 7 she had a meeting to discuss the formation of a Silicon Valley Rail Working Group with the Silicon Valley Leadership Group Vice President Jason Bakery and Corinne Winter of Winter Consulting. A follow up meeting with Winter occurred on Dec. 19.

On Dec. 12 she had a meeting with Larry Mayers of Principal Mayers Architecture and Abode Services regarding the Corvin Housing project to build 144 units of affordable housing at 2904 Corvin Dr. and on Dec. 17 she met with Omid Shakeri of The Ridgecrest Group about the proposed townhome project at 1530-1540 Pomeroy Ave. Two days later she met with the Neil Datar the former Santa Clara University Associated Student Government Senate President regarding an “update on school and career plans.”

Council Member Patricia Mahan Mahan, who was recently voted to the role of Vice Mayor, only had five calendar listings for December. All were public meetings or events.

Council Member Debi Davis Davis notched mostly public events and meetings throughout December. Her single meeting of note, not already reported, was her generic “Christmas lunch” meeting on Dec. 11 with James and SummerHill’s Executive Vice President and Managing Director Katia Kamangar. The exact topic of discussion was not recorded.

View all Council Member calendars at http://santaclaraca.gov/government/public-calendars-of-certain-city-officials

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By Melissa McKenzie

Here’s how November looked for Santa Clara City Council:

Mayor Lisa Gillmor The first half of the Mayor’s calendar consisted of public meetings and events.

She noted her first non-public meeting with Jan Perkins, the senior partner of Management Partners, on Nov. 14 when she was interviewed by the facilitator regarding governance and Santa Clara’s six-district council system that went into effect this past November. She followed that with a meeting about Sierra School students later that day.

Gillmor’s first meeting with a developer was when she met with Republic Metropolitan on Nov. 19 to discuss the student housing project the company is building near the Santa Clara University campus. Later in November, Gillmor met with residents Rich Bonito and Howard Myers to discuss parking in Santa Clara on Nov. 28. Later that day, she participated in an internal meeting about the massive Gateway Crossing project on Coleman Avenue.

Gillmor ended her month with a phone call with Cedar Fair’s CEO Richard Zimmerman to discuss Great America on Nov. 30.

Vice Mayor Kathy Watanabe The Vice Mayor began her month by meeting with Adam Thompson, president of the Old Quad Resident’s Association, to discuss Gateway Crossings.

On Nov. 9, Watanabe met with Ridgecrest Group’s Omid Shakeri about the proposed townhome project at 1530-1540 Pomeroy Ave.

Watanabe, too, recorded an interview with Perkins to discuss governance and the six-district council system. Her meeting took place on Nov. 14.

The Vice Mayor ended November with a meeting with residents Dan Ondrasek and Rod Dunham about the Downtown Revitalization Task Force and an internal meeting about Gateway Crossings on Nov. 30.

Council Member Teresa O’Neill O’Neill’s November began with a meeting with Shakeri about the Pomeroy project on Nov. 1.

She met with Thompson about Gateway Crossings on Nov. 5 and recorded a meeting with Bill Fairweather, the business agent for the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), Local 134 regarding the Convention Center.

On the 7th O’Neill participated a Measure BB campaign wrap-up call with the extended campaign team and she held her monthly resident Q&A on Nov. 11.

O’Neill’s interview with Perkins about governance and Santa Clara’s six-district system occurred on Nov. 14, and two days later the Council Member met with Mountain View City Council Member John McAlister about Valley Transportation Authority’s (VTA) governance and financial issues in the morning and Winter Consulting’s Corinne Winter about the possible formation of a Silicon Valley Rail working group in the afternoon.

On Nov. 20 she met with Parks and Recreation Commissioner Tino Silva about the future of Santa Clara city government and council.

On Nov. 30, O’Neill met with Ondrasek and Dunham about the Downtown Revitalization Task Force. Soon after that meeting, she participated in an internal Gateway Crossing project update and at 1:30 p.m. met with Alrie Middlebrook of Middlebrook Gardens and California Native Garden Foundation about the Agrihood project at the former BAREC site.

Council Member Debi Davis Davis’ November was fairly light, with the Council Member’s biggest meetings of note being her participating in an interview with Perkins on governance and the six-district council system on Nov. 14, an internal meeting on Gateway Crossings on Nov. 28 and a meeting with Assistant City Manager Manuel Pineda and residents Marry Grizzle and Ana Vargas-Smith about the Downtown Revitalization Task Force on Nov. 29.

Council Member Patricia Mahan Mahan’s November included mostly public events and meetings, although she did participate in an introductory meeting with Assistant Director of Finance/City Auditor Linh Lam on Nov. 15 and an internal meeting regarding Gateway Crossings on Nov. 30.

Council Member Pat Kolstad In his final month on Santa Clara’s City Council, Kolstad met with Shakeri about the Pomeroy Avenue project on Nov. 9 and met with resident Lavelle Souza regarding the same project on Nov. 12.

The only other meeting of note for November, was Kolstad’s participation in an internal Gateway Crossing project update meeting on Nov. 27.

Incoming Council Members Raj Chahal and Karen Hardy’s calendars will be available starting in January, as the pair took their oath of office on Dec. 18. View all current and former council calendars at http://santaclaraca.gov/government/public-calendars-of-certain-city-officials

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By Melissa McKenzie

The July City Council calendars are out, and one thing is still clear: previous months have not been edited to reflect missed meetings. There continues to be no mention of Peter Hillan, Banner Public Affairs, and, given the City’s recent rent battle with the 49ers, no mention of Sam Singer, the City’s contracted public affairs consultant, less one introductory meeting between the communications professional and Mayor Lisa Gillmor back in February. However, there are still plenty of Council Member meetings to note in July.

The Mayor began her month by attending the annual 4th of July picnic at Central Park and followed it with an introductory meeting on July 5 with Emily DeRuy of the San Jose Mercury News.

On July 6, Gillmor recorded a meeting with Cupertino’s Mayor Darcy Paul, Hyperloop Transportation Technologies CEO Dirk Ahlborn and Related lobbyist Jude Barry about “hyperloop opportunities.”  The hyperloop project, first reported earlier this month, will ideally travel from San Jose’s Diridon Station to DeAnza College with the bulk of track barreling down Stevens Creek Boulevard through the Santa Clara/San Jose border.

Barry’s involvement in this project remains unknown. In the past year, he had meetings about transportation with Council Member Teresa O’Neill (Mar. 7 of this year and Sept. 29 and Aug. 18 of last) and Vice Mayor Kathy Watanabe (Apr. 5, but recorded as “transpiration”). But his most recent lobbyist report, dated July 12, lists Related as his only client.

Gillmor also had a meet and greet introduction with Santa Clara University’s Vice President of Finance and Administration Michael Crowley and Assistant Vice President of University Operations Chris Shay on July 12, and on the 17th, met with Watanabe, O’Neill, Assembly Member Kansen Chu and Chu’s field representative Simeone Chien regarding “legislation, state budget and district issues.” Additionally, the Mayor met with resident Vicky Field and Westgate Church’s Local Compassion Pastor Finny Abraham about volunteer opportunities.

The Mayor had a single developer meeting in July. On July 24, she met with John Hyjer, first vice president of investments with Equity Residential regarding 3131 Homestead Road, the site of the Laguna Clara Apartments, where the developer hopes to build a four-story, 585-unit urban-infill project to replace the current 86 unit complex.

Her last two meetings of interest occurred on July 27 when Gillmor had a meeting about City Place with Santa Clara and San Benito Counties Building and Construction Trades Council Executive Director David Bini and Steve Flores, business manager for United Association of Journeymen Local 393  and a second meeting with Rudolph and Sletten’s John Elwood and Lou Mariani and Linda Lecca of Mariani’s Inn and Restaurant. Elwood is listed as being with Mariani’s — not with his employer, a developer.

The Vice Mayor spent the first two weeks of the month attending public events and meetings, as well as the funeral for former Mayor and Council Member Larry Marsalli and she provided an interview about the Chamber of Commerce to David Louie of KGO-TV.

On July 13, Watanabe, along with O’Neill, met with Prometheus’ Executive Vice President and Partner of Development Jon Moss and Development Director Marilyn Ponte regarding 575 Benton Street, a 355 apartment complex that includes eight live-work units, 650 parking spaces, 1,601 square feet of office space, 346 square feet for a pet spa, 1,528 square feet of bike amenity space, three private courtyards and one public courtyard, 19,985 square feet of retail space, 2,364 square feet of potential commercial space and an amenity roof deck with 4,341 square feet of club room and a fitness center.

Five days later, on July 18, Watanabe met with John Hirokawa regarding his candidacy for Santa Clara County Sheriff and two days later had a meeting with Karina Dominguez about her candidacy for Milpitas City Council.

On July 25, Watanabe met with residents Lavell Souza, John Lesnick, Jamie Brick, Hung Le and Kevin Park about the 1530-1540 Pomeroy Ave. project, a proposed development of eight two-story townhomes to replace two single-family homes and miscellaneous small outbuildings. One day later, she met with Hunter Properties’ Director of Development Josh Rupert and Chairman of the Board Edward Storm about the Gateway Crossing project, a mixed-use development of 1,600 apartments, a 182,000-square-foot full-service hotel and 15,000 square feet of ancillary retail, surface and structured parking facilities, public and private streets, neighborhood park and open space at 1205 Coleman Ave.

The Vice Mayor ended her month by meeting with resident Hazel Abalgado about community issues on July 28 and Council District 2 Candidate Nancy Biagiani about her campaign on the same day.

O’Neill’s July began with her monthly resident Q&A on July 1, which she followed with a call a day later with resident Alycia Burgoon about the catchall “city issues.” She, too, recorded a meeting with Rupert and Storm about the Gateway Crossing project on July 11 and attended Marsalli’s funeral on July 13.

Later that day, she attended the 575 Benton Street project meeting with Watanabe before sitting down with Santa Clara Unified School District Board (SCUSD) of Trustees candidate Vickie Fairchild, Santa Clara Unified Parents (SCUP) treasurer Peta Roberts and educator Tiffany Anderson about SCUSD issues and the upcoming board elections this November.

Schools continued to hold a presence on O’Neill’s calendar with the Council Member meeting with former president and board member of the California School Boards Association (CSBA) Josephine Lucey and Santa Cruz County Office of Educators Area 4 Trustee Rose Filicetti on July 16 regarding “public schools issues.”

O’Neill also attended the July 18, 18 and 20 trail on the Ladonna Yumori Katu et. al. v. the City of Santa Clara, or the voting rights lawsuit that resulted in eliminating citywide Council voting for districted council seats and a citywide mayor election process.

On July 24, O’Neill met with Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Nick Kaspar about the Convention-Visitors Bureau and had a conference call with Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA)’s Deputy Director Dennis Radcliffe and Caroline Gonot about the Berryessa Extension.

Finally, O’Neill ended her month with four resident meetings: Nancy Biagini about her candidacy for Council Seat 2, Mayuri Restaurant owner Sam Kumar regarding “city issues,” Raj Chahal about his candidacy for Council Seat 2 and Luis Lecanda regarding board and commission openings.

Council Member Debi Davis kept a light July calendar mostly filled with public events and meetings. However, she did have a meeting with Moss and Ponte on July 16 regarding the 575 Benton Street project, as well as sitting down with residents Rich Bonito and Howard Myers about Mariani’s Inn and Restaurant on July 18 and meeting with lobbyist Cynthia James about Great America on July 26.

In addition to attending Marsalli’s funeral, Council Member Pat Kolstad had a phone call with Ray Hashimoto, principal of HMH Engineering, about an unnamed new development on July 11 and notched a meeting with Rupert and Storm about Gateway Crossing on July 16.

Council Member Patricia Mahan only had public meetings and events listed on her July calendar.

While meetings have not been added to Council Calendars to reflect previous errors and many meetings go unrecorded completely, the Council Calendars give some insight to the vast amount of time Santa Clara’s elected officials spend meeting with lobbyists and developers about pending and proposed projects within the City.  View all Council Member calendars at http://santaclaraca.gov/government/public-calendars-of-certain-city-officials.

Read our coverage of June’s here.