Hutchins, Lubeck bid adieu,Glickman, Decker take seats
By Nathan R. Huff
It was bit like changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace--minus the uniforms, minus the tourists and, most of all, minus the straight faces.
The town bid farewell to two council members on Dec. 4, welcoming aboard two new faces to the five-member body. Council veterans Linda Lubeck and Jan Hutchins stepped down after eight and four years, respectively. Former planning commissioner Sandy Decker and former Los Gatos Union School Board Trustee Steve Glickman took their seats.
The town also said goodbye to Treasurer Jeff Lamb, who served for eight years as the town's investment guru. In his place will be newly elected Lubeck, who stepped down from the council to run for treasurer. Marion Cosgrove was sworn in as the town clerk for the fourth time.
Prior to the official seat-switching procedures, the town held a brief reception to honor the outgoing and incoming elected officials. Emceed by Mayor Joe Pirzynski, the event's audience included council members, former candidates, planning commissioners, town staff, local business leaders and community activists.
Outgoing Councilman Hutchins, clad in his yoga outfit, gave his farewell speech at the informal gathering, saying only a few words at the actual council meeting. Hutchins, who had barely spoken in his last few council meetings, took advantage of the spotlight to highlight what he felt were the great accomplishments of the council, as well as to thank supporters and community volunteers.
Hutchins said the first thing he learned after being elected to council four years ago was that he, "was not nearly as smart as he thought he was." He also said--tongue-in-cheek--that one of the greatest lessons he learned was how to get along with those who have different viewpoints, "especially when they're so clearly wrong."
Lubeck saved her extended remarks for the meeting, where she gave similar thank you's and farewells before giving a pointed farewell to meeting regular and vociferous council critic Ray Davis. Davis' behavior greatly motivated the recent creation of an ordinance to address "willful interruptions" of town meetings.
"I think it's important to remember that each of us is entitled to our opinion and viewpoint, and just because we don't all agree doesn't mean that any one of us is right and any one of us is wrong," Lubeck said, adding that, at times, that respect has been missing. "For the last few months these chambers have been subject to what my mother would call 'inappropriate behavior.' "
Newly elected council members Glickman and Decker, who defeated Paul Dubois and Mike Abkin in the Nov. 7 election, also shared a few quick words at the meeting and pre-meeting gathering. Glickman, who has never served on a town board or commission, pledged to reach out to local business and community leaders, and invited them to get to know him.
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
