March 13, 2008

City forms new pilot neighborhood commission

Seeking District 10 delegates

By Jeanne Carbone Lewis
Staff Writer

Art Boudreault is on a mission. He has until May to organize associations to present delegates to serve on the new Neigh-borhood Commission for District 10.

“This commission is uni-que because the city asks neighborhood groups to elect someone to be a delegate to the caucus,” said Almaden Valley Community Association [AVCA] president Boudreault. “The neighborhood groups need to register with the city by April 4 in order to vote.”

AVCA president Art Boudreault requests District 10 neighborhood groups register and select delegates for the newly formed Neighborhood Commission. Photo by Jeanne C. Carbone

Boudreault reports that the city did have a neighborhood commission previously but only three districts participated. The new Neighborhood Com-mission will integrate all the different associations in all 10 districts into the city’s decision-making processes. They will study issues, courses of action, policies and programs affecting the quality of life and make recommendations to the council and Redevelopment Agency to empower neighborhoods. It will be a two-year pilot commission.

Mayor Chuck Reed and Councilmembers Nancy Pyle and Judy Chirco approved the Neighborhoods Commission on Sept. 20 to create the pilot program. The concept originated from the community and the work of the Strong Neighborhoods Initiative to offer residents a formal voice within city hall.

The commission will make regular reports to the city council, city staff and Neighborhood Groups. Its work plan will be developed in coordination with, and approved by, the Neighborhood Services and Education Committee. Commissioners will provide annual reports at the annual Neighborhood Caucus for each council district.

When Boudreault initially started organizing the District 10 Neighborhood Commission, only eight associations were on file versus the 18 he now has registered. They include the Almaden Cabana Club, Almaden Hills Estates Homeowners Association, AVCA, Almaden Winery Neighborhood Association, Friends of Los Alamitos Watershed, Friends of Santa Teresa Park Association, Graystone NA, Graystone of Almaden, Hoffman/Via Monte HA, Montego HA, Monte-video HA, Pierce Ranch Group, Santa Teresa Foothills NA, Shadowbrook I, South Almaden Urban Reserve Association, Sunrise Valley NA, T. J. Martin Park NA, VEP and Woodside of Almaden HA. Boudreault asks that any neighborhood groups not listed contact him to register.

The neighborhood groups must register with the city by April 4 to vote in the caucus. The registration forms are available from the city at www.sanjoseca.gov/clerk/commissionboard/nc/ncaapplication1.pdf.

By May 10, the registered neighborhood groups must select a delegate and notify the Neighborhood Development Center seven days prior to the May 17caucus for District 10. An alternate delegate must be chosen as well.

Delegates must live in the district, apply through the city clerk’s office and meet all city requirements for appointment to a commission, including availability to attend meetings and legally required disclosure of economic interests. The caucus will be held from May 17 through June 14. The Neighborhood Commission will be seated this fall for a two-year term.

Delegates will select three commissioners and two alternates to represent District 10 on the commission for the two-year pilot program. During the initial two years, the commission will define its charter, develop a work plan and a schedule to support neighborhood groups and be a resource to city departments on quality of life issues. It will hold a monthly meeting as well as any needed meetings and sub-committee work. It is estimated that the work will entail up to 20 hours a month.

For more information on the Neighborhoods Commission visit www.sanjoseca.gov/clerk/commissionboard/nc/nc.asp. If your neighborhood association needs to be added to the above list or you wish to be an applicant, call Art Boudreault at 408-268-1714, e-mail at artb@netwiz.net or Ernest Guzman, director of the Neighborhood Development Center at (408) 723-4114.