So you think you want to be a candidate. And a fine tradition it
is – public service – without which democracy wouldn’t work. But,
what would you be letting yourself in for? And what makes a good
candidate?
So you think you want to be a candidate. And a fine tradition it is – public service – without which democracy wouldn’t work. But, what would you be letting yourself in for? And what makes a good candidate?
Morgan Hill voters will be choosing a mayor, two city council members, and trustees for the Morgan Hill School District and Gavilan College. Most qualities that work for council will also work for school districts, though the spotlight will be especially bright this season on potential MHSD trustees because of the long-standing districtwide uproar.
With all the turmoil in MHSD, qualified, dedicated candidates are a must for the three seats available in November.
Board President George Panos and Trustees Del Foster and Jan Masuda have announced they will not run for re-election. Trustees Tom Kinoshita, Amina Khemici, Mike Hickey and Shellé Thomas have two more years to go in their four-year terms.
And a recall is still in the offing: a community group called CARE, or Community Alliance for Responsible Education, has served the four senior trustees – Kinoshita, Masuda, Panos and Foster – with recall notices. If they collect the required number of signatures, more than 5,600, then there could be a special election before the election in November.
Several trustees have said they will be willing to talk with potential candidates. If you want to know what you’re signing up for, make an appointment to talk to one or more of them. Talk to leaders of the unions for teachers and classified employees as well as individual teachers and others throughout the district.
Our recommended qualities in candidates for the School Board include flexibility, a good grasp of financial details, some knowledge of the workings of the education system and a very thick skin.
The most important qualities, perhaps, are the willingness to learn and to accept new ideas. Or maybe it’s the willingness to listen to many different opinions. Or maybe the willingness – not to mention the time – to spend hours studying School Board agendas and other documents, to spend hours on the phone/e-mail with constituents and to spend time visiting schools and attending various school functions.
The object here is not to scare away potential candidates; on the contrary, we would like nothing better to see a crowd of candidates, similar to the large group that ran in the 2002 election.
However, we think it is important – very important – that potential candidates realize the responsibilities they are taking on, and that they are willing and able to spend the time and effort necessary to do the job.
And if you plan to run, thinking you have all the answers, this job is not for you. Cooperation and an ability to navigate the intricacies of the public education system are just as important as creativity and fiscal knowledge.
CITY HALL
Over at City Hall the election race started early when Councilman Greg Sellers’ intention to challenge Mayor Dennis Kennedy for the two-year term of mayor became public recently. Kennedy has said he will take up the challenge.
The seats of Councilwoman Hedy Chang and Larry Carr are due for renewal though neither has said whether or not they would seek re-election.
The terms of City Clerk Irma Torrez and City Treasurer Michael Roorda are also up in November. Torrez says she will run again; Roorda has not yet announced a decision.
Candidates for City Council and mayor need all the same qualities as school trustees – including the thick skin – but need even more free time to spend on outside committees ranging from sewers to libraries plus at least three evening meetings a month. Council members regularly attend public events, often several times a week and field phone calls and e-mails from even more people than school trustees.
Because city government is so complex and may appear complicated to newcomers, council members frequently have served on the Planning Commission as did Kennedy, Chang and Councilman Steve Tate. Carr was a school district trustee. Sellers has lengthy experience professionally but had not served on a formal commission. Other city commissions serve as good incubators for council, too, and commissioners on Parks and Recreation, Library and others should consider jumping into the election whirlwind.
Council members do get major support from city staff. They are supplied with complete and clearly explained staff reports – considerably more complete than those given school board trustees, reports that help council understand the issues, backed up by reams of accompanying material. Staff is always available to answer questions.
Still, the council is running a city with a more than $101 million budget with citizens, and the press, watching their every move – another facet of democracy. Life in the fishbowl is off-putting for some, invigorating for others.
Council members say they will give advice to prospective candidates. Attending a few council meetings is a good way to find out what you are letting yourself in for.
GAVILAN COLLEGE
Three Gavilan Community College trustees are up for re-election. Leonard Washington (a Morgan Hill seat), Mark Dover (a Gilroy seat) and Tom Breen (a San Benito County seat) are all eligible to run again. Voters throughout the college district will determine winners of any trustee races. The terms are for four years.
Dates to file as a candidate with the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters are July 12-Aug. 6, possibly later for MHSD trustee positions. www.sccvote.org or 299-8683.
To respond to this editorial or comment on this issue, please send or bring letters to Editor, The Morgan Hill Times, 30 E. Third St., Morgan Hill, CA 95037, fax to 779-3886 or email to
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