July 24, 2002     Los Gatos, California     Since1881


Town News


Candidates take papers, prepare for November council run

By Gloria I. Wang

Five Los Gatos residents and two residents ofMonte Sereno officially declared theirintention to join the council races inNovember when they took out nomination paperslast week.

In Los Gatos, previously announced candidatesobtained the necessary documents: incumbentJoe Pirzynski, public relations executiveDiane McNutt, businessman Barry Bakken andproperty management company owner MikeWasserman. Financial consultant DavidGuimarin was the surprise sixth candidate.Two additional hopefuls have also announcedtheir intentions to run for the threeavailable seats but are not yet officiallycandidates.

In Monte Sereno, stay-at-home mother KimHanrahan and entrepreneur Deepak Chopra bothhave met with the city clerk. IncumbentBarbara Nesbet said that she will seekanother term but has not yet filed thepapers. Three city council positions are upthis year.

Guimarin has been involved in communityactivities since he moved to Los Gatos morethan 15 years ago. Guimarin said he wanted toget involved on a deeper level and has beeninterested in local politics but didn't makethe decision to run for town council untilvery recently.

The father of two boys, both Hillbrook Schoolstudents, Guimarin is a member of theschool's board of trustees, sits on theMeasure B Oversight Committee - which ensuresthat the money obtained in the passing of themeasure is properly spent by the Los GatosUnion School District - and leads the St.Mary's/Hillbrook Cub Scout troop.

Guimarin said he is planning a "grass-roots"campaign and hopes to be evaluated based onhis own merits rather than compared withthose of his opponents.

Hanrahan said she started thinking aboutrunning for the Monte Sereno City Councilabout six months ago, but made the decisionafter discussing the job's requirements andtime commitment with council members.

Hanrahan, who has a 2-year-old daughter, saidshe often discusses city issues with herneighbors and wants to represent theirconcerns in making decisions that affectMonte Sereno.

"It's not just what I think. I take intoconsideration their issues, too," Hanrahansaid, adding that she wants to have a voicein the decision-making process. "It'ssomething that I think I would enjoy,"Hanrahan said.

Eleven-year Monte Sereno resident Chopra saidhe was able to realize his dreams - of makingmoney, having a family and moving to anidyllic community - after he emigrated fromIndia three decades ago. Chopra said that, asa councilman, he wants to help people liveout their dreams.

"I have the passion and the energy," Choprasaid, to help enhance Monte Sereno as a rolemodel city. Chopra said he is against monsterhomes and would only approve thoseapplications that meet city policies and fitin with the existing landscape.

Chopra has two children at Hillbrook Schooland is currently overseeing a medicalbusiness, a technology corporation and acatering company.

Of the three seats in Los Gatos up forelection this year, incumbents Steve Blantonand Mayor Randy Attaway - who have both beenon the council for 12 years - decided lastmonth not to seek re-election. Pirzynski,however, said he will try for another term.

In March, McNutt announced that she was vyingfor one of the three seats. McNutt, who has apublic relations firm, is involved with theTown of Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce, twiceheaded the Los Gatos July Fourth CelebrationCommittee, is the top organizer of theLeadership Los Gatos program and currentlychairs the Los Gatos Film Festival SteeringCommittee.

Councilman Pirzynski has also been involvedwith the Independence Day celebration, filmfestival and Leadership Los Gatos - the lattertwo of which were developed while he wasmayor in 2001. Pirzynski, a teacher andcounselor, was a Los Gatos planningcommissioner and commander of the DisasterAid Response Team (DART) before being electedin 1998.

Wasserman, meanwhile, has experience withseveral nonprofit organizations as well ascoaching Little League and other youthsports. Wasserman, former owner ofCollector's Corner II, has been involved withmany of the Los Gatos elementary schools.Wasserman has two children in Los Gatosschools and operates a property managementcompany.

Bakken is the father of twin sons at LosGatos High School and has lived in town for15 years. Bakken is a member of the Los GatosHigh School Millennium Foundation and made afailed bid for the Los Gatos Union SchoolDistrict Board of Trustees after acontroversial election.

Like many of his fellow candidates, Bakkencoaches youth soccer and baseball.

Monte Sereno imposed two-term limits on itscouncil members in 1998. As a result,Councilwoman Suzanne Jackson and Mayor JackLucas - who has been on the council for 18years - cannot run this November. Under theconditions of the term limit ordinance,however, they can wait two years and run fora council seat again.

Nesbet, mayor in 2001, said she will pursue asecond term when her first expires inNovember. "It's challenging and it'srewarding. ... If there's anything I can doto participate in the community and help theresidents of Monte Sereno, I'll definitely doit," Nesbet said.

Among Nesbet's outside activities arechairing the board of directors for theorganization Services for Brain Injury.Nesbet's mother was a past mayor of MonteSereno, and the councilwoman is a Los GatosHigh School graduate.

In addition to soliciting nominations fromthe community, council candidates must alsofile statements with the California Secretaryof State in order to start fundraising fortheir campaigns. The filing period for thestatement has already begun.

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