The race for mayor just got even more interesting. Longtime
Morgan Hill city hall watchdog Arthur College threw his hat into
the ring alongside incumbent Mayor Steve Tate and councilwoman
Marby Lee.
The race for mayor just got even more interesting. Longtime Morgan Hill city hall watchdog Arthur College threw his hat into the ring alongside incumbent Mayor Steve Tate and councilwoman Marby Lee.
College was appointed at the city’s director of finance and assistant city manager in 1987 until he resigned in August 1990.
College, 66, unsuccessfully ran for city treasurer in 1992, with a platform similar to the one he backs today.
“We need to take a look at the crime in the city, the increase of gangs. Police need to be the No. 1 priority,” College said.
In 1992, College was vehemently opposed to putting a utility tax on the ballot. He believed the money needed to keep those employees could have been derived from elsewhere. It was proposed at that time to apply a 7.5 percent utility tax on monthly gas, electric, telephone and cable was proposed by the city to prevent cutting the jobs of 13 police officers and seven firefighters. The measure was unsuccessful.
College has lived in Morgan Hill for 23 years and teaches accounting at Evergreen Valley College in San Jose.
“I’m not happy with some of the decisions by the council and I believe it’s time to make some changes,” College said Monday.
College said he can take the reins and control spending by the city. While he hasn’t filed his papers just yet, College say he is serious about the job.
“I’d like to be a true public servant. I have a better background and a better feel for the citizens of our community (than Tate or Lee),” College said.
The mayoral position is decided every two years, while the four seats on the council go to the voters every four. Tate, has served as mayor for four years and on the council for eight. He has qualified to seek re-election by securing 20 signatures of registered voters for his support, according to the city clerk’s office. Tate, 66, believes because of his experience in Morgan Hill government he will be the strongest leader to lead the city through the recession.
Lee, currently in her first term on the dais, announced June 22 that she was going to face off with Tate. Lee, 43, has said her goals are to balance the budget and prioritize police and fire services above recreation.
Morgan Hill City Council
Two new names have been added to the list of people interested in running for city council. David Mounteer and Janice Comstock pulled papers Friday and Monday, respectively. Two seats are open this year because Lee is running for mayor and councilman Greg Sellers will not seek re-election.
The high interest in the race this year is keeping city clerk Irma Torrez busy putting together extra candidate packets, she said Monday.
Richard Constantine and Joseph Carrillo have also picked up the binder of information and necessary forms from Torrez’s office. Michael Castelan, the owner of Poppy’s Fish and Poultry before he closed shop in June, has pulled papers and so has resident Kenneth Wayne Galloway. Rictoni’s Delicatessen owner Rick Moreno said he will make a decision by today. Since no incumbent is running, interested people have until Aug. 11 to file.
Morgan Hill Unified School Board of Trustees
Last week, two more stepped out as possible candidates for the Morgan Hill Unified School Board race. Four of the seven positions are up for grabs.
Robert Paul Benevento, a 26-year resident of Morgan Hill, father of four children and small businesses owner, has been involved in Pony baseball for 20 years and is currently serving on the MHUSD Personnel Commission.
Mauricio Quijano also pulled papers last week. Quijano is a freelance broadcast journalist who has lived in Morgan Hill for six years. His three children attend Charter School of Morgan Hill.
A stay-at-home mother, and a former Morgan Hill Unified Teacher of the Year added their names to the list of now seven newcomers who could secure a position on board of trustees.
Claudia Rossi is a mother of two and a registered nurse who became a stay-at-home mom after her son was diagnosed with autism. She dedicates much of her day to volunteering at Nordstrom Elementary.
Ron Woolf taught in the district for almost 24 years, most of which were at Britton teaching pre-algebra and leadership classes. He was also the principal at the Morgan Hill Adult School in the 1990s and was named Teacher of the Year in 2003.
An active volunteer and community member, Kirsten Francis Carr who last year was the Gilroy Garlic Festival’s president, is hoping to give a new perspective to the school district board. Carr is a mother of two children at Charter School of Morgan Hill and has lived in South County since 1996.
Armando Benavides is a member of the Hispanic community group Coalition for Latino Education Achievement Defense or Co-LEAD. Brenda Cayme has also pulled papers but has not returned phone calls.
Their names, if they file papers with the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters by the Aug. 6 deadline, will go alongside incumbents Bart Fisher, Shelle Thomas and Don Moody. Trustee Mike Hickey has decided not to run. Boardmembers serve four-year terms.
Santa Clara Valley Water District
The newly constructed District 1 will elect its new Santa Clara Valley Water District board member this fall.
Wishing to remain in his seat on dais is Cy Mann, who was appointed in January to fill retired Sig Sanchez’s place. Mann is a licensed Realtor and has served on the Coyote Flood Control and Watershed Committee and several other committees at the district.
Outgoing District 1 Santa Clara County Supervisor Don Gage is also running for the seat. Gage is leaving the county board due to term limits and has had a long career in politics including as mayor and city councilman in Gilroy.
Roberto Sepulveda, a dentist who lives in Gilroy, is the only candidate to officially qualify for the District 1 election.
