February 4, 2009

Chirco new vice mayor

By Carol Rosen
Editor

District 9 Councilmem-ber Judy Chirco was unanimously voted in as vice mayor at the Jan. 27 City Council meeting prior to a prolonged discussion about the city’s need to review its policy on outsourcing.

Chirco also told the Times she would be entering the hospital on Feb. 4 to have a lump removed from her breast. During December, a routine mammogram ex-posed the small lump, which a later biopsy proved to be cancerous. The cancer is very small, she said, and has been caught early, so she hopes her hospital visit will be short and she will be back in her new vice mayoral chair soon.

In other council news, after a prolonged discussion, several friendly and not so friendly amendments and several motions, the council voted 7-4 to hold a special meeting of the Community and Economic Development Committee within 30 days to explore methods of changing the 12-year-old policy that set guidelines for outsourcing. Once city staff has time to digest and put together plans, approximately 45 days later, the council will again discuss the situation.

The at-times divisive discussion centers on a Jan. 23 memo from Councilmembers Nancy Pyle, Rose Herrera, Nora Campos and Ash Kalra suggesting a number of amendments to develop an outsourcing policy. The memo stems from City Manager Debra Figone’s options to battle the city’s continuing operating fund deficits, including a projected $65 million shortfall in the 2009-10 fiscal year that could lead to layoffs.

The mayor led off the discussion asking council members to explain the exact and recent problems stemming from the 12-year-old law, stating that he thinks the memo provides a solution but questioned if there actually was a problem. He and Councilmem-bers Pierluigi Oliverio, Pete Constant and Sam Liccardo noted that Figone and her staff had enough work and this would create even more of a burden. The mayor also said that recent steps by the Sunshine Reform Taskforce provided the recommendations necessary to meet trans-parency for outsourcing.

Nearly 15 members of the public spoke up about the possibilities. Labor stood solidly behind the proposals with Bob Brownstein quoting portions of Barack Obama’s inaugural speech noting we need a “watchful eye’ to set accountability, transparency…standards” and that the city should “set aside childish things.”

On the other side, business leaders noted the city already is stuck with too much bureaucratic red tape. “This is policy run amok. Before you start looking to change things, you should figure out what’s wrong,” said San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Pat Dando. “There are major issues… far more important things to do than this foolish … under the guise of improving competition. Get back to doing what needs to get done.”

Other discussions included unanimous approval for a budget adjustment for the Planning, Building and Code Enforcement Department because economic conditions have created a larger than expected plunge in revenues, nearly $16 million. As many as 52 jobs will be eliminated, 28 of which currently are filled, although the city is trying to find similar jobs for those 28 employees, 18 may be out of work as early as March 1.

Council members also agreed unanimously, with Liccardo abstaining because he owns nearby property, to a $5.3 million plan to aid EHC Lifebuilders reduce its debt by selling off properties and relocating tenants. Santa Clara County is also helping out. This actually created a moment of levity in that Liccardo initially seconded the motion. The mayor had asked for the motion maker to restate the proposal, another member—other than Liccardo—to second and the council then re-voted.

In news pertaining to District 6, there is a proposed development for the corner of Willow and Lincoln. According to Oliverio, the overall project proposes landscaping, office space, public gathering areas, a parking garage, new retail stores, and restaurants with outdoor seating. Willow Street Pizza and Willow Glen Frozen Yogurt will remain open and will be integrated into this project. No residential development is included. Oliverio plans to host a community meeting in the February/March timeframe.

A Jan. 28 memo to the City’s Rules Committee from Councilmembers Oliverio, Constant and Herrera suggest the council use the Healthy Neighborhood Venture Fund to finance the crossing guard program. This memo follows last year’s accident that killed a 12-year-old student biking home on the last day of school and one on Blossom Hill Road last December where junior high student Kroeger was hit and severely injured by a car that didn’t stop at the crosswalk.

“Providing public safety within our neighborhoods, especially for our young children is essential and should be viewed as a top priority for the city of San Jose. For a city which strives to be known as a safe city, pedestrian friendly, encourages exercise and promotes children walking to school, we should do everything within our power to keep our children safe when they walk, bike and play.”

In addition, the three council members noted their support for District 10’s Nancy Pyle’s efforts to allow volunteers to become crossing guards as well as freeing up the tobacco moneys for the program.