Leadership Shortage, No Kook Shortage

I enjoy Dave Price's editorials in the Daily Post immensely.  I don't always agree with him.  I'm hard-pressed to think of anyone I always agree with, but he is on target and well-informed.  Today's piece starts by noting that Mountain View wants to raise its council salaries ("stipend" would be a better word) and Palo Alto is considering giving it school board members health benefits.  He then generalizes the issue by writing

I'm increasing hearing from local officals that there's a shortage of future leaders who want to run for city council or school board.  Not just in Palo Alto or Mountain View, but all across the Peninsula.

Teh fear is that when seats ope up on a council or board, there won't be enough qualified candidates to fill those vacancies.  Of course there are always enough candidates.  Open seats draw kooks out of the woodwork.  But getting qualified candidates--people who have the competence to do the job--isn't always easy.

Here at the Voice we are always on Kook-Alert.  I won't start a new category with that title since all categories need to be on alert.  I happen to agree with Price's conclusion that raising the salary or benefits won't attract better candidates.  It has to come from the gut.  A local pol I know well is fond of a quote that goes "some people run for office to do something, others run for office to be somebody."  Truer words.

Comments

[Account Deleted]

FYI, the following notice from the Burlingame Elementary School District:

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BSD Board Appointment

Trustee Greg Land is resigning his position on the Burlingame School Board to join the San Mateo Union High School Board of Trustees. The BSD Board is accepting letters of intent to fill the remaining portion of Trustee Land's term ( 2 years). Letters are due November 30, 2015 and should be received by 4PM and should include candidates experience and reasons for wanting to apply for the appointment on the board. Letters can be dropped off at the District Office, 1825 Trousdale Drive or emailed to Kirsten Diktakis, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent at [email protected].

[communities can do better]

Joe, sounds like Nagel's quote, no?

But seriously, what a condescending statement, as if only Nagel and her friends run for office to "do something" and everyone else is just trying to "be somebody".

Regardless, open, free elections among citizens and the free speech and debate that elections generate is at the core of what our society purports to strive for.

I say purport, because many people, especially in our area are actually against free speech and work very hard, even quite unethically to silence people that don't share the same perspective with them.

Our communities can do better than accept this culture.

Thank you to Lorne for posting the BSD board opportunity.

Mr. Land, don't forget that Senator Jerry Hill just publicly "called out" the SMUHSD board for being arrogant, and not listening to the public that they serve.

[Account Deleted]

As a follow up to my earlier post above, the Burlingame Elementary School District will be appointing a new trustee this evening to complete Greg Land's term. The five candidates under consideration are Michael Jarrett, Joelle Kaufman, Elizabeth Kendall, and Doug Luftman. PDFs of their letters of intent are included in the following meeting agenda link:

https://burlingame.agendaonline.net/public/Meeting.aspx?AgencyID=44&MeetingID=26532&AgencyTypeID=1&IsArchived=False

[Peter Garrison]

Ms. Kendall would be a great choice; fine mother and spouse; astrophysicist, patient and kind.

[Account Deleted]

PUBLIC NOTICE

For Provisional Appointment to the BSD Board of Trustees

POSTED: December 8, 2015

The Burlingame School District Board of Trustees has a vacancy due to the resignation of Mr. Gregory Land effective December 3, 2015. The Burlingame School District Board of Trustees is announcing its provisional appointee of Mr. Doug Luftman as of December 7, 2015. Unless a petition calling for a special election, containing a sufficient number of signatures, is filed in the office of the County Superintendent of Schools within 30 days of the date of the provisional appointment, it shall become an effective appointment.

Public Notice, Education Code 5092
For more information, please visit www.burlingameschools.org