Cheryl Cook-Kallio served Pleasanton well | Tim Talk | Tim Hunt | DanvilleSanRamon.com |

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About this blog: I am a native of Alameda County, grew up in Pleasanton and currently live in the house I grew up in that is more than 100 years old. I spent 39 years in the daily newspaper business and wrote a column for more than 25 years in add...  (More)

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Cheryl Cook-Kallio served Pleasanton well

Uploaded: Dec 9, 2014
The City Council welcomed former Arne Olson to its ranks last week and said farewell to Cheryl Cook-Kallio.
Arne has big shoes to fill as he steps into the seat that Cook-Kallio had to vacate because of term limits. During her eight years on the council, she has served the community very well.
The most significant achievement was her willingness to buck public pressure from a couple of neighborhoods and put the extension of Stoneridge Drive back into the city's planning process. It had been dropped during prior councils that viewed issues from a very narrow neighborhood prism as opposed to looking at what is good for the entire community.
Cheryl flatly refused to play neighborhoods against each other—recognizing that the residents bordering Valley Avenue between Santa Rita and Busch were significantly impacted by the refusal to connect Stoneridge.
Her leadership led to fulfilling the General Plan as it was envisioned after Hacienda Business Park and other business and retail developments in North Pleasanton were planned. The connection also opened the way for the long-awaited Stoneridge Creek senior housing complex and a major auto retailer in that area.
The current council is going to face similar very important decisions concerning what happens to the east side between Valley Avenue, Mohr Avenue and El Charro Road. A well-conceived plan that builds out needed transportation links (connecting El Charro to both Busch and Stanley Boulevard heads that list) as well as providing for both commercial and residential development will enhance the community.
A short-sighted plan will do just the opposite.

Well, Frosty is inflated and hyping Johnny Moore's Christmas tree business after Mayor Jerry Thorne suggested that the city staff "overlook" the blatant code violation.
While it may be a seasonal "feel-good," the city is going to be hard-pressed to say no to any other Christmas tree lot operator who decides they want to fly inflatables to attract attention to their lots.
Moore, in what City Manager Nelson Fialho described as a "brilliant marketing move," inflated Frosty (a staple of his Christmas tree lot when it was located on the Alameda County Fairgrounds where the city has no enforcement authority). Moore lost his prime location at the corner of Valley and Bernal avenues two years ago and this season relocated to near the corner of Stanley Boulevard and Valley.
When a city code enforcement officer showed up and told Moore he needed to take down Frosty, Moore went to the media and got a couple of TV stations to bite. When a couple of moms joined the protest to allow Frosty, the mayor weighed in and Frosty is in its full 25-foot glory.
I wonder if the mayor is willing to weigh-in when the seasonal pumpkin farm decides to fly a 25-foot-tall witch or when Santa Claus shows up at other lots.
The city manager made the right call in this case and it should have stood.
Community.
What is it worth to you?

Comments

Posted by Michael Austin, a resident of Pleasanton Meadows,
on Dec 10, 2014 at 6:15 am

Michael Austin is a registered user.

I agree, city manager made the right call in this case. The mayor should have left it alone.


Posted by Ebengeezer S. , a resident of another community,
on Dec 10, 2014 at 7:26 am

Bah. Humbug! Web Link


Posted by bob, a resident of Amberwood/Wood Meadows,
on Dec 10, 2014 at 10:57 pm

:-/ oh thank heaven


Posted by Ed, a resident of Pleasanton Meadows,
on Dec 12, 2014 at 9:07 am

By overriding the enforcement of the ordinance the mayor made Fialho look like an ass - not good for continued cooperation between the two in the management of our town.
However, Fialho should not have publically weighed in with his personal opinions either.

I think in the end the mayor did the right thing. I pass through that intersection at least twice a week. It's location is in what looks to be a largely open commercial area with no impact on any residents so what's the big deal?

The application of the law can and should be "adjustable" depending on the circumstances - like a traffic cop giving a warning instead of a ticket. It's what separates us from totalitarian regimes where tolerance is not allowed.


Posted by local, a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood,
on Dec 12, 2014 at 2:52 pm

If Cheryl really wanted to get traffic flowing like it was intended, she would have worked to get the closure at Valley and Kolln St removed. But being that was her neighborhood, that was different.


Posted by Cholo, a resident of Livermore,
on Dec 13, 2014 at 9:43 am

I think that many males are jealous of Cheryl Cook-Kallio because she's waaaaaaaay smarter. Plus...she's reasonable and gets the job done!

HAPPY NEW YEAR CHERYL! VIVA!

you boys are B U S T E D! tee hee...


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