 |
|
|
|
|
Meet the new City Council, same as the old ...
By Michelle Alaimo
Even though the Sunnyvale City Council has a new member--Engineering Manager Tim Risch--citizens shouldn't expect much change in policies and procedures.
"Tim Risch could bring a different perspective to the council and he'll be a fresh voice," said newly re-elected councilmember Jack Walker. "But the council will function pretty much the same."
While Walker said Risch has distinctly different views than his predecessor Stan Kawczynski had, he doesn't see much change in store, except maybe in one area.
"Stan's biggest concerns were in the area of land use," Walker said. "If we see any changes at all, it will be in land use."
Three of the seven member seats were up for grabs this past election day but only two of the seats were contested. Walker won his seat by a two-thirds vote over challenger David Schumann. And Risch easily won by a three-to-one margin over former ousted Sunnyvale Mayor Frances Rowe.
Risch was endorsed in his campaign by every current council member but has promised citizens to expect him to make his own decisions on issues. During his campaign, Risch said he was not happy with the way the council handled parking issues in the downtown area. Risch has stated that he would have budgeted more money for public transportation or pedestrian access in some projects--such as Caltrain improvements and changes to the Town Center.
Risch will soon get a chance to state his case. Ongoing issues facing the council include some of those that Risch has publicly criticized--a parking structure in conjunction with Caltrain and changes to the Town Center mall.
Another issue facing the council is the building of a new senior center. "Some people say we don't need a senior center but people show up in droves [to the current one]," Walker said.
He adds the council has to consider the needs and requirements of the people of Sunnyvale and provide those needs.
The council must also decide what to do about perceived problems with the light rail, which is expected to be up and running in mid-December. Walker said that park-and-rides are not now allowed in industrial areas, but because buses don't travel to the northern part of the city, something must be done. The council will be faced with deciding whether to add park-and-ride lots anyway or to extend busing to the northern area.
Other issues facing the council include long-term policy decisions on Moffett Field. Risch, who is a member of the Moffett Field committee, listed the future use of the airstrip as one of his priorities. Walker said any change in the use of Moffett Field is also a priority with the council, and they will continue to work closely with NASA.
Overall, Walker said the council doesn't have a lot of problems and that with the addition of Risch, he doesn't foresee any new ones.
|
|
|
|
Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
