July 12, 2007

City Council decorations: Which office belongs to the council members and mayor?

Here are the answers to the quiz on page 4:

Number 6—This office is the biggest of the bunch and belongs to Mayor Chuck Reed. It is decorated with various photos and paraphernalia from two careers—the Air Force and politics. Note the large gavel on the window sill, which has yet to make an appearance at city council meetings. The view is terrific and probably just high enough for a former Air Force officer. Note the airplanes and the golden eagle. Mixed in with all the pictures is one of his daughter, thanking her father for being her role model.

Number 3—This office belongs to the man that started it all. When District 1 Council member Pete Constant saw the white office walls, he claimed they reminded him of a hospital. He decided to paint one wall Wedgwood blue, spurring the other members to do likewise. Among the artifacts he has displayed are police paraphernalia as well as a bulletin board filled with artwork, handprints by and photos of his children.

Number 1—Forrest Williams’ office shows the sophistication of a man who has had a career as a businessman and engineer. He’s also painted a wall blue, but more of a sky blue. The office is filled with artwork and pictures that show where Williams has been and who he’s met. Among his items is a pencil drawing of the District 2 council member and a former staff intern, drawn by the intern. Other artwork includes a model car and a vibrant and mesmerizing Esher print, while a signed basketball, from his coaching days and as a backup player in the ABA, rests on a table across from his desk. Like most council members, Williams kept the furniture already in the office - it initially belonged to former Council woman Charlotte Powers.

Number 7—Sam Liccardo was hard at work when the Times came by to photograph his office, but he graciously left to buy his staff lunch so the Times could freely take snapshots of his office. Liccardo’s office features Native American and Southwestern art as well as family photos, including a couple featuring his niece and nephew.

Number 2—Kansan Chu may be the newest member of the city council, but his office reveals that he already has made his workplace a home away from home. Chinese character banners, including one done by a 12-year-old constituent stating “Life is Art” and a picture of a horse decorate the walls, while a huge luck plant provides the greenery necessary to make the office more homelike. On a small table near his desk, the District 4 council member has a family-owned Chinese tea set with a tray that holds water and has its own drain.

Number 10—Pierluigi Oliverio also kept the furniture used by Ken Yeager before him. While he has bought things for the entire office staff, he hasn’t purchased anything new for himself. The council’s liaison to the Bike and Safety Committee has kept his bike in the office since Bike to Work Day, but doesn’t get too many chances to use it because of a full calendar of appointments throughout District 6. Also emblazoned on the wall are artifacts from his campaign including a scrapbook showing all the features of the campaign prepared by District 6 Director of Public Policy Denelle Fedor.

Number 4—Madison Nguyen’s office is chock full of memorabilia and pictures of her life and her activities. There are campaign and volunteer photos, sports photos, several flags, bamboo sticks and a picture story of her campaign showing volunteers working through to her first day as District 7’s new council member. Besides a beautiful Vietnamese tea set, awards and a hard hat, Nguyen has a bright red couch sitting across from her desk to add a little more color her office.

Number 9—Vice Mayor Dave Cortese’s office has one wall painted a baby blue color. The walls are decorated with photos of Cortese and his mentors and heroes, including President John F. Kennedy. City and District 8 maps along with flags fill out the rest of the décor with various pieces of furniture from home.

Number 8—Plants, flowers, pictures, degrees and awards decorate the taupe wall of District 9 Council member Judy Chirco’s office. Her desk shows that she’s always working, and while the room appears less decorated than the others, there are small, significant touches throughout the office that characterize the former volunteer and school board member. Finally two photos of her young grandchildren decorate the wall below a mirror.

Number 5—Nancy Pyle’s office also shows feminine touches, with flowers, books and pictures decorating her walls. The flowers on the table were a gift from her husband in honor of their anniversary, which Pyle celebrated at the June 26 city council meeting—the last one before the July break. The china cabinet was a gift from Cortese and is filled with memorabilia. It sits next to a small white love seat with pillows under pictures of City Hall.

Text by Editor Carol Rosen
Photos by Executive Editor Julie Davis Berry