NDNU Students ask to 'Be Heard' at Final Candidates' Forum

“Be Heard” was the slogan printed on the T-shirts of Notre Dame de Namur University (NDNU) students who organized last night’s Candidates’ Forum last night at Ralston Hall for candidates for Belmont city council and city clerk.

This was the first time a city political race had taken center stage on the campus of approximately 2000 students, faculty and staff, and it signaled a shift by both the university and the city to enhance relations and develop a closer alliance in things like community outreach and economic development.

The Associated Students and Phi Alpha Delta of Notre Dame de Namur University (NDNU)  co-hosted the event at the university for the candidates for Belmont City Clerk and Belmont City Council. Phi Alpha Delta is a pre-law fraternity and honor society.

This was the third and final such forum; the first, sponsored by the was, and the second by the . (Links to the Q&A of those forums can be found on Belmont Patch.)

In attendance were city clerk candidates Terri Cook (incumbent) and Dave Warden, and city council candidates David Braunstein (incumbent), Paul Brownlee, Eric Reed and Christine Wozniak (incumbent).  There is one seat open for city clerk; it is a four-year term. There are two open seats on the city council; both are four-year terms. Election Day is Nov. 8. 

Also in attendance was city treasurer, John Violet. Violet, who is unopposed in his run for a third term, had an opportunity to address the audience and gave a brief overview of his job description. He did not participate in the Q&A portion of the forum.

The grand setting of the ballroom in the Ralston Hall Mansion was befitting of the formal tone and structure of the forum. In his welcome remarks, NDNU history professor Dr. Stephen Cole told the candidates and the audience, “I hope we do better in bringing the community onto the campus. Please come more often—we need you to be supportive of us just as we need to support the City of Belmont.”

After explaining the rules of the forum, moderator and assistant provost, Dr. Greg White, led the 90 minute discussion by posing questions scripted by the student organizations as well as audience members. The focus of the questioning centered on the relationship between the city and the university.

Opening remarks:

In their opening remarks, the candidates gave an overview of their past involvement in city politics and put forth their platforms.

Terri Cook (second term incumbent city clerk) said that she is often the first face the public sees in City Hall, and she explained that her role is to ensure transparency by making documents available as well as help the public navigate the city’s governmental processes, record legislative actions and serve as the city’s election official. She added that the clerk’s office has partnered with NDNU by having a student intern working in the office.

“I served on the planning commission and on the city council, but when the city clerk position became available, I saw it as an opportunity to serve the city on a full time basis.”

Dave Warden, who is the current vice mayor, highlighted the need for more participation in the political process by NDNU students. “Did you know that in the last city election only three NDNU students voted?” Warden asked.

“You guys are the hiring managers, you are the voters and you are the taxpayers,” he added.

Warden has run on the platform of fiscal responsibility and innovation. In his opening remarks, he said would significantly reduce the city clerk office’s annual budget by lowering the elected clerk’s salary to $390 per month (the amount received by other elected officials in Belmont). The city clerk’s current annual compensation is $130,000. He stressed that many of the administrative tasks should be handled by professional city staff, and that the elected clerk should provide oversight.

Warden also said that if elected, he would improve the use of technology in the clerk’s office, distributing documents electronically and using web and email technology to make citizens aware of what’s happening in Belmont.

Eric Reed, who is currently serves on the planning commission, explained that he wanted to give the voters a choice for city council. “I will focus on three things: economic development, addressing our aging infrastructure and the city’s relationship with NDNU.”

“An NDNU student came up to me recently and said she didn’t feel welcome in Belmont. This is disappointing to me,” said Reed.

As a former employee of NDNU, incumbent city council member David Braunstein is well aware of some of the issues facing the university and its relationship with the city. “I have a platform of four items,” said Braunstein. “Economic development—and I want it to include NDNU students, youth and community recreation, public safety and infrastructure.”

Christine Wozniak, an incumbent seeking a second term, says she’d like to connect more with the campus community and she stressed her environmental accomplishments on the council. “I’d like to get closer to the students and find out what they want from the city. I led the charge on sustainability and I support the city’s Green Advisory Committee.”

Wozniak served as the city’s point person on high speed rail and on the . “I’m concerned about sustainability as it relates to our infrastructure. I’m a progressive and look for interesting solutions to our problems,” Wozniak added.

As the only candidate who does not currently serve on a commission or hold elected office, Paul Brownlee feels he can bring a new perspective to city politics, specifically where high speed rail is concerned.

“I want to see Belmont stop a disaster that is about to occur, and it’s called high speed rail,” said Brownlee.

“At best, it’s a fast train---95 mph—that will destroy any plans for economic development along El Camino Real, and it will split our city in half,” he added.

The following are excerpts from the answers to questions by NDNU and audience members, and closing remarks.

What would the city council/city clerk offer to the NDNU community?

Warden: “The clerk would be the mouth of the city, getting the information out to the citizens. The clerk should also do a creative analysis of what the city needs and to proactively give that information to the citizens of Belmont and the campus community.”

Cook: “Having people from city hall come to campus---I was here today here today doing voter registration. Going on the assumption that you should come to us doesn’t work. We are a college town and we should encourage people in Belmont to embrace that.”

Brownlee: “I’d like to see NDNU promote their activities out to the community. Most of the people in Belmont are oblivious to the campus, unless they  live next door to it.”

Wozniak: “We should integrate the activities of the university with the activities of the city. The city needs to reach out to the students and form a group that meets regularly to discuss opportunities and hear what you want.”

Reed: “I would like to revisit the issue of Koret Field and reintroduce the CUP (conditional use permit). Between students, faculty and staff, we have close to 2,000 consumers on this campus, and from an economic development standpoint, that is very significant.”

Braunstein: Repairing relations with the university, leveraging grant opportunities, holding town hall meetings are all things the council could offer NDNU. You are known for your community service activities, so you could link with other groups in Belmont. Also just listening, responding and incorporating some of the things you want in policies set forth by the council.

Give one word to describe the relationship between the city and the university.

Reed: “Bad. The city failed in its two-year effort to get a CUP for Koret Field. The council acted in a way that caused NDNU to go back to the original permit.”

Braunstein: “Fractured. There’s a need to heal the relationship.”

Wozniak: “Opportunity. I prefer to look at the future and not go back to the baggage of the past.”

Brownlee: “Improving. We’re here, you’re here—this is wonderful.

What is your number one priority for development projects in Belmont?

Brownlee: “No matter what the development project, if you don’t stop high speed rail, you’ll put the community into an economic depression.”

Wozniak: “Our sales tax revenues were up over $1.5 million from last year. I think we should take what we currently have to and build on it in addition to building new stuff. We should survey the community, including NDNU and see what the people want.”

Reed: “One year up is not a trend. Our tax revenues have been down for the past 10 years. This university is key in our economic development strategy. There are 2,000 people here.”

Braunstein: “We have shown our commitment to economic development in Belmont with the recent additions of Volkswagen and SunEdison, but we need to do a lot more, and the taxes we’d receive would allow us to do more.

Closing remarks:

Warden: “I work in the private sector. I innovate. I create change. It’s important for the private sector to infuse itself into government. I would really enjoy taking on the challenges of the city clerk’s office. Look at this as a job. Look at me as someone who is going to save you money.”

Cook: “I have served Belmont well and have provided a checks and balances system and I answer to the public. I am in balance with other city officials and am part of a team that implements the policies and procedures set by the city council. If the city council wants to change direction—for instance, going paperless—I will be happy to go along. The City of Belmont prides itself on customer service. My opponent suggests an automated phone system as opposed to a real person answering the phone. I don’t think that’s the kind of service this city wants.

Brownlee: “I’m new to politics in Belmont, but I have had over 18 years of experience working with the City of Daly City and I believe we really need to build a relationship with NDNU. And we especially need to stop high speed rail or at least push it to the Hwy. 101 corridor before we revisit downtown redevelopment.

Wozniak: Great things are happening, like the bike bridge and the several properties we the city has recently purchased. I want to make a connection between NDNU students and the city council. Tell me what you want.”

Braunstein: The message the students tonight are wearing on their shirts is ‘Be Heard.’ This really resonates with me. We’re supposed to be here and to listen and enact policy that reflects Belmont.”

Reed: “To the students---get out there and vote. Just think of the difference you could have made with Koret Field. If you feel like Belmont has underperformed compared to our neighbors to the north and south, then vote for me. I will address the relationship with this university—it too, is key to our economic development.