Candidate for
Councilmember; City of Albany

SERVICE TO MY COUNTRY

I served our country in the Peace Corps for three years in Togo, West Africa. I taught science and trained teachers on the use of their laboratories and laboratory equipment.

INVOLVEMENT AND SERVICE TO ALBANY

My service to Albany began with volunteer work with Friends of Five Creeks, where I met fellow creek and trail advocates.

I then attended and heavily participated in the Parks and Recreation Commission community workshops on the Parka and Recreation Master Plan and gave input on how Measure F monies should be spent.

THE ALBANY STROLLERS AND ROLLERS

Stepping up my involvement, I co-founded the Albany Strollers and Rollers in 2004. This citizen's organization advocates for human-scale transit (walking, bicycling, etc.). Our membership has grown to around 150. I and other members have attended countless Commission and City Council meetings to advocate for the needs of those using human-scale transit. Writing letters of support, we aided the city in garnering grants for a number of projects.

With the City, Albany Strollers and Rollers has achieved a number of projects, while staying true to its goal of working for project consensus with as many citizens as possible. We successfully advocated for the Buchanan freeway on-ramp bypass trail that allows for safe passage to the waterfront. We reached out to every residence along the Ohlone Greenway ahead of the successful lighting project, and organized a walk for these neighbors to gather their input. We listened to the concerns of 500 block Pierce Street neighbors and developed a bicyclist path design that would preserve more than 99% of the current on street parking while calming traffic on the street to the 25 mph speed limit. We are working with the city and BART to significantly upgrade the Ohlone Greenway paths (see below). We are advocating for the best possible Buchanan mixed-use path connecting the city to the waterfront, and we are advocating for increased human-scale transit facilities on UC lands, as well as in other developments. Through Albany Strollers and Rollers, I have personally organized Albany's Bike to Work Day activities for the past four years. The group has also been involved in a number of city events including Greening Albany and the Spring Arts and Music Festival, where we partnered to provide free bicycle tune-ups.

TRAFFIC AND SAFETY COMMISSION

As a result of this work, I was appointed to and served on the Traffic and Safety Commission in 2006. During my tenure, I guided the city's choice of design options for the Buchanan bicycle path. This path will complete the only direct cyclist route from the Berkeley Hills to the Bay shore in the East Bay north of Fremont. I approved lighting and alignment improvements for the Ohlone Greenway. I was also called upon to be the voice of the city's bicyclists and pedestrians for numerous other issues that came before the Commission.

PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION

Subsequently, I was appointed to the Parks and Recreation Commission in 2007, of which I am currently Chair. During my tenure to date, I supported the improvements and renovations at Terrace Park, Ocean View Park and Memorial Park. I also saw through the completion of the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Task Force and voted to implement an IPM policy in the city. This policy provides for pest management without the use of synthetic toxins in the city. I helped form the Tree Task Force, which has been working diligently to advise the city on the best way to get more trees planted and to make sure that the trees selected won't damage property. Finally, through a series of public meetings, I lead the effort to improve the future design of the Ohlone Greenway paths after the BART seismic retrofit.

OTHER SERVICE

I have been a parent volunteer, helping in the classroom, with gardening projects, and with Walk to School Day.

PERSONAL

I work as a software engineer. I am married and have a 9-year old son. I am an environmentalist and Sierra Club Outings Leader. Other interests include music and photography.

My son attends Marin Elementary and my wife works as a child psychologist for the state Diagnostic Center in Fremont.