Here is the first official notation of the forthcoming City Council election:
The City of Burlingame holds an election in November of odd-numbered years. Two council terms will expire this November. The filing period for nomination papers and candidate statements is from July 13 to August 7, 2015.
The last election ended like this and John Root filled Jerry Deal's partial-term vacant seat here, so Terry Nagel and John Root are the two seats up for a vote. Will we see $150,000 spent this time or will two seats instead of three keep the spending down? The gates open in one month!
maybe, just maybe, we may have a good government again...one that actually cares about the city residents. the current city government mirrors the current federal government, one that does not care about the people who make up the electorate
Posted by: mike | June 15, 2015 at 03:48 PM
Joe, Russ and friends at home, do you know what a 380 cubic inch V-12 revving to 8000 rpm and producing 730 horsepower sounds like? Well, you soon will, as Bruce Dickinson is not only starting my Ferrari F-12 Berlinetta's engine, but I'm about to put the pedal to metal and drive head-on into the issues that need to define this election. Yes, my headlights will be pointed right at the candidates eyes, so they better expect some scrutiny with a capital "S". Will be interesting whether they come along for the ride, get out of the way, or act like deer in the headlights. Not beholden to the diplomatic decorum that Joe and Russ must maintain on the website, Bruce Dickinson, has no such restrictions and will call 'em as I see em, ya know what I mean? So candidates, be prepared to deal with wide-open-throttle, tire smoke, drifting, oil spills, chunks of rubber flying everywhere, open passing, smokey burnouts, fender bruises, fuel burn, backfires, 110 decibels, and the wail of 730 horsepower barreling down on your Priuses , Chevy Volts, and Teslas. You want the checkered flag, you better get it the old-fashioned way, namely, earn it!
Friends at home, lets ask some tough questions and demand straight answers, together, and make whomever gets these council seats earn them for a change. Bruce Dickinson and his staff will be keeping their eyes peeled on this election, so rest assured, this one will be closely watched from the grandstands, pit lane, the tower, and we'll even have the pole-position cam, too!
Gentlemen (and women), start your engines...
Ready, Set, GO!
Posted by: Bruce Dickinson | June 15, 2015 at 05:42 PM
If there is someway to contribute financially please let me/us know.
Some people may believe Mr. Dick has all the money to do that on his own.
No matter one dollar, five, or twenty; the donations represent the people who support Bruce Dickinson's POV.
If a campaign chest develops, and the need for funds is not necessary, I am sure Mr. Dickenson will use it do benefit our City.
Good Luck Mr. Dickenson.
Posted by: hollyrollerhotwire.com | June 16, 2015 at 01:39 PM
Guys, listen, I am flattered, dare I say smitten, by the strong show of support from my fellow Burlingamers. But make no mistake, Bruce Dickinson will not be running in this election. Unfortunately, city council meetings require a lot of presence in community, and while I have no shortage of that in the gravitas sense, if you will, I would be remiss if I didn’t say that between my multiple apartments, my winery in the Anderson Valley, and global travels, my attendance record would actually not be what this community deserves. While I have my messages transcribed online, it is from numerous locations in the US and abroad. Local governance is best done by those who are in the community nearly all the time. One of the advantages of “not getting out much” which has its plusses as well as minuses, but alas, I digress.
To that end, Bruce Dickinson will be doing one of the many things that I do best, namely going wide open throttle, looking far ahead down the road, and driving right to the core of the issues. I will not be only your neighbor, but community advisor, as I believe my unique experience of being a legendary producer and involvement in numerous organizations, at the upper echelons of success, qualifies me to sift and separate the talent from the charlatans. Tough questions on difficult issues will be asked, so the grill will be open-flamed, if you will. But, Bruce Dickinson will always be respectful to those candidates who post on the Burlingame Voice, as coming to Burlingame’s premier online blog, news source, and editorial site says quite a bit about that candidate facing the music, as it were. Of course, if Russ decides to run and I hope he does, I won’t be stepping on his toes, after all, it is his site, but I will be asking him the same questions. For those candidates who choose to ignore the value of this site, not to mention potential votes (becoming ever-so-precious), do so at your own peril, because then it will be open season to call ‘em as I see em and avoidance will not be taken kindly. Much better to answer to all constituents in an open, frank manner, because it’s not Mr. Dickinson that you should be answering to, but it’s Mr/Mrs/Miss Burlingame, namely all of Burlingame’s residents. So it will be very little about me, but about the Voice readers and community at large, and simply consider me your facilitator.
Joe, if you are so inclined, and I’m sure you can delegate some of these responsibilities, but try to have the Burlingame Voice interview each candidate with key questions submitted by BV readers and yours truly.
Let’s lay down some dynamite tracks and make a song worthy of the Burlingame name!
Posted by: Bruce Dickinson | June 18, 2015 at 11:37 PM
I've got plenty of questions, Bruce. We will see what we get in the way of answers!
Posted by: Joe | June 19, 2015 at 03:07 PM
It will be very tough to beat Terry and John Root if they run again, but as a former candidate myself, Russ was by far the sharpest candidate next to Michael Brownrigg.
While Russ and I probably don't agree on all issues, Russ is the genuine article.
Each city council member doesn't just impact Burlingame, as they're expected/appointed to various powerful regional boards. Rally just a larger turn-out to the polls or mail-in ballots would do the Bay Area some good in representing all of its citizens.
Posted by: Russ is the genuine article. | June 19, 2015 at 03:55 PM
I don't think it will be as tough as you think. Wait til you see the slate.
Posted by: dtn | June 19, 2015 at 09:06 PM
Will someone please explain terry nagels fascination with nirmala.
Posted by: Samiselfie | June 26, 2015 at 09:50 PM
Only after someone explains certain B'game voters' fascination with Terry Nagel. I don't get it.
Posted by: Joe | June 27, 2015 at 12:08 AM
I heard that Terry Nagel isn't running...one less Jerry Brown & Co devotee.
Posted by: I heard that Terry Nagel isn't running | June 28, 2015 at 11:25 PM
Nirmala adds nothing to the planning commission. She knows nothing about building or the code and just takes up a seat.
Posted by: RandyC | June 30, 2015 at 11:58 PM
I think this election is so important. Burlingame is on the verge of becoming Millbrae and San Mateo with tremendous, HUGE developments planned that have the potential to change our town forever! Unfortunately, it maybe too late to stop most of them, but would be nice to get someone in there to slow it down a bit.
Went to the developers meeting last night for the housing project planned for the corner of Bayswater and Dwight. Worse than I thought. 133 to 140 units, parking only 1.3 per unit, so will be under parked with the Cities blessing. Four stories tall.
But, back to the election...Would NEVER vote for Nirmala as she would be nothing different than what we have now.She sent out her first campaign email asking for funds so she's definitely in.
Posted by: Laura | July 01, 2015 at 05:06 AM
Sorry, meant development on corner of Bayswater and Myrtle.
Posted by: Laura | July 01, 2015 at 05:10 AM
Nirmala is probably a good mom and a good former R&D person in biotech, but as a parent at Lincoln, she was not genuinely friendly and instead once said at a movie night, "There are just too many white guys here!"
Some of the women at Lincoln were excited to help elect a minority woman, and so off they went, like a gaggle of chickens bwok, bwoking to vote for her.
She's a suck-up to Sacramento and would just parrot whatever they told her to say. While she's done a good job of racking up leadership positions in the community, her fake smile and fake, gushy voice is the last thing that Burlingame AND our regional boards need.
On the other hand, there are some MUCH better, more natural and more genuine community leaders that should run.
Looking over the list...hmmm, self-proclaimed-communist-party-members-who-slander-people-that-have-different beliefs-McDonalds...NO...there she is...genuine-very-well-respected-should-have-run-last-time-President-of BCE-plus-she-plays-the-guitar-and-sings-well, Emily Beach...YES!
http://www.bcefoundation.org/board-members/
Posted by: Encourage a good slate! | July 01, 2015 at 09:08 AM
It is too bad there are only two seats open this time since we need a good housecleaning.
Stop the Millbraezation of Burlingame.
Posted by: local motion | July 01, 2015 at 06:18 PM
I regularly drive from the mid-Peninsula area, Menlo Park, Atherton etc... home to Burlingame because of traffic on El Camino. Our town is unlike any other. Seeing concerns about it becoming like Millbrae and SM on this thread are interesting as I've been thinking about it in the last year, glad I'm not the only one. Friends in the South Bay talk about B'game like it's a diamond in the rough, I tell them it is. Who else is running besides Nirmala? She impressed me as a kind lady in the last election, but seems she would be heavily in favor of high density housing that is making the other towns lose their quaintness. I have two young kids and hope to continue raising them in the small town that is Burlingame.
Posted by: Jason Scalese | July 03, 2015 at 09:04 PM
I've only heard nirmala chirp about 55 times on the planning commission "have you talked to your neighbors" every time there is a design review.
Not a deep thinker.
She will depend on terry nagel to write all her material/press releases, etc.
In other words, a TERRY NAGEL PUPPET.
Don't waste your vote on nirmala.
Posted by: Samiselfie | July 04, 2015 at 10:39 AM
@Jason - There will be at least two brand new faces in the race with substantial track records in town (although not from prior Council races). You will have a good selection from which to decide who thinks as you and I do that "Our town is unlike any other". Let's just hope there are at least two of them who really believe it and are willing to stand up to the development pressure.
Posted by: Joe | July 04, 2015 at 02:48 PM
Perhaps if we get two new council members voted in that are against the developments going on all around town, it will send a big enough message to the three already sitting on the Council to reconsider their views. Really folks, the large developments are real and are coming our way if we don't stop it now. We need at least two on the Council for now that believe as we all do, that Burlingame is a gem that needs to be saved. You are right on Nirmala, she is a hand chosen Terry Nagel candidate and we do not need that right now in Burlingame. This is an important election and if we don't do it now, we can kiss the Burlingame we all know and love, goodbye.
Posted by: Laura | July 06, 2015 at 09:00 AM
So for whom do we vote if we wish to stop the big building thing! Give me names.
Posted by: Peter Garrison | July 06, 2015 at 09:21 PM
Wait until you read about the disaster from last night's meeting--more building downtown and I'm not talking about the Post Office yet either.
Posted by: Joe | July 07, 2015 at 04:08 PM
Since the newspapers are not "on the job" very closely, I checked with the City Clerk and two people have taken out nominating papers to run for City Council: Donna Colson and Emily Beach are likely candidates. We have seen people pull papers and not file them in the past, but I hear these two are in it for sure.
Posted by: Joe | July 16, 2015 at 05:17 PM
I have never heard of them.
Would like to find out where they stand on issues of importance in our city. Thank you for scooping the newspapers, Joe.
Posted by: Samiselfie | July 17, 2015 at 07:39 AM
We need to elect people, who are able to seriously scrutinize the details and who are willing to look long term-very long term. People who will do the math-not focused on only the revenue, but looking at the the true costs to both the city and the citizens that will quickly appear, as all of this new construction begins. Where will the water come from for these new buildings? How will our streets handle the traffic? Our schools handle all of the new students? What will 101 look like for us? The on and off ramps? Will we need additional police? fire? city services? We need people who will really do the math. Every time I walk by the post office, I wonder how we let this incredible building go the way that it did and why the property looks so abandoned. We need fresh minds and the sooner, the better.
Posted by: Linda Lees Dwyer | July 19, 2015 at 08:33 PM
I've worked with Donna Colson on the Park and Rec Commission as well as on the Park and Rec Foundation and I for one am going to support her. She lives in the south part of Burlingame and is for keeping Burlingame free of mass construction. I've talked to her on these issues and I believe she will follow through with what she says. I will only support candidates this year that are for slowing down the growth and keeping Burlingame the quaint and special town we all love. Donna has my vote..
Posted by: Laura | July 20, 2015 at 08:48 AM