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Jack Walker
Jack Walker named new mayor of Sunnyvale
Former vice mayor promises to continue community outreach
By Daniel Hindin
The city council of Sunnyvale named Jack Walker its new mayor on Nov. 21. Walker, a Sunnyvale resident since 1982 and previously vice mayor of the city, takes over from Pat Vorreiter whose yearlong term drew to a close.
This year will mark Walker's sixth on Sunnyvale's city council. Before his days on city council, Walker served on the planning commission for four years. He chaired the commission in 1994 before moving to the council in 1995.
Walker, who works professionally as a product engineering manager at Spectra Physics Lasers, said he wants to build a more active community in Sunnyvale.
"It troubles me that the same hundred people, or even less, show up to the [city council] meetings," Walker said. "There's not enough outreach to people. I want to reach out to them more. I want everyone to be involved whether they agree or not. I look forward to a productive year."
In addition to his role as mayor, Walker chairs Sunnyvale's technology subcommittee, the council protocol subcommittee and Santa Clara County's Northwest Flood Control District, as well as serving as a member on several other city and county committees.
"It's with mixed emotions that I end my term as mayor," said Vorreiter, who will still remain a council member. "It was a privilege to be in the cockpit this last year. I looked at it as a once in a lifetime opportunity to be mayor of one of the finest cities in the country. Jack is a good leader and a good friend. I look forward to giving support to him to continue the success of the city."
Walker foresees the coming year as a busy one. "I'm watching my calendar fill up," he said. "This should be an interesting year with all of the construction. We have a lot of projects coming to fruition like the skatepark and the senior center."
Walker noted most projects that people may give him credit for this year actually started under Vorreiter, or even earlier.
"It's hard to evaluate [a mayor] in just one year," he said. "We always like to laugh at each other because things that come to fruition under one mayor probably started under a different mayor. You kind of have to look at someone's entire term on council."
Describing Vorreiter's year at the helm, Walker said, "Pat has concentrated on regional things like housing and Moffett Park--things that you can't really go, 'Ta-Da! Here it is!' but they're things that will really be beneficial to the area."
"I take no credit individually for anything accomplished or begun during my term," Vorreiter said.
Four-year Councilman Fred Fowler takes over Walker's position as vice mayor.
"Jack has a lot of experience," Fowler said, describing Walker. "He was chair of the planning commission before coming to the council, so he knows how to run a meeting, occasionally with vocal members in the audience. He knows how to get things done. He'll set a fine example for me when my term of mayor comes."
Fowler also praised Vorreiter's term. "Pat introduced some innovations in terms of how the meetings are run," he said. "She made room on the agenda for nonprofit organizations to make public statements about who they are and what they do. The theme of her term was including people. She was very interested in making sure that all people, regardless of income, ethnicity or heritage, felt a part of the city. I think it was a fine thing for her to do, and I think that the city is all the better for it."
Fowler said he is ready for the future.
"There are some significant challenges facing the city," he said. "We're living with the problems of prosperity. Issues such as rising rent, rising home prices and increasing traffic congestion will continue to challenge us this year, but I think we have a good team of people who can rise to the challenges under Jack's leadership."
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Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
