The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

Councilmembers do listen to the residents' viewpoint

By Manuel Valerio

Having just finished reading Mr. Creighton Bricker's opinion letter about the future of Sunnyvale, I felt motivated to offer some observations of my own. First of all, let me start by thanking Mr. Bricker for his service to our community as a member of the Planning Commission. Without citizen-volunteers serving on our boards and commissions, the city would operate without an important ingredient in public policy-making, namely the viewpoint of our residents.

While I applaud Mr. Bricker's sincere effort to raise the level of public interest and awareness regarding city policy, I must respectfully disagree with some of the points in his commentary. Mr. Bricker has felt it necessary to label myself and three of my colleagues as the "Gang of Four." He believes that we four "seldom seem to really listen to the residents." While I respect his right to his opinion, I do not agree with his assertion. It is my belief that each and every member of the council values and appreciates hearing from our fellow residents. We know that there are many viewpoints, even on what may appear to be a noncontroversial issue. We incorporate citizens' views, professional staff reports, personal research and personal life experiences when reaching decisions that we know affect the quality of life for all who live and work in Sunnyvale.

The recent proposal for a four-story, five-star hotel on El Camino Real, which Mr. Bricker references in his letter, is an excellent case in point. Upon receiving a request for a meeting with the residents in the neighborhood adjacent to the proposed hotel, each and every councilmember either met with the neighbors in person or engaged in telephone conversations with their spokespersons. If some of us, as Mr. Bricker infers, "seldom seem to listen to the residents," would we have taken the time to have a meaningful dialogue with these good people?

The residents of our community do care about the quality of life, and I give them credit for understanding that quality of life consists of a number of elements. It means promoting safe, peaceful and healthy neighborhoods, while also promoting a vibrant economy which offers residents diverse choices in housing, entertainment and recreation, and also provides revenue that delivers the high-quality city services that we all have come to enjoy.

I join Mr. Bricker in urging our residents to be more involved in public policy-making at the local level by volunteering to serve on boards and commissions or simply working to improve their neighborhoods and those throughout the city. I also hope that, like the folks of the Washington Park Neighborhood Association, they will be vocal, but thoughtful and reasonable, advocates for a well-balanced community that recognizes that quality of life encompasses a mosaic of diverse views and needs.

Let us continue to have a healthy exchange of views.

Manuel Valerio is a member of the Sunnyvale City Council.

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, October 1, 1997.
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