San Bruno CA: Councilman Ken Ibarra on "What Makes A Good Council Member"

San Bruno Patch asked the two councilmen (Rico E. medina and Ken Ibarra) whose seats are not up for re-election the following 7 questions as background for you the voters to consider as you listen to and or read documents by the three candidates seeking the two open council seats in the upcoming November 2015 election.

Councilman Rico E. Medina’s answers to these same questions will be published separately.

Councilman Ken Ibarra offers the following answers:

Q#1 - What background characteristics make a good Councilman?

Ibarra A#1- I believe a good Councilmember should be someone who knows the community - preferably the entire community, such as all neighborhoods. One should know a bit of history to understand why things might be as they are. They must also know why people live in the community, what makes them stay. And, of course, what is needed - either added, replaced or improved.

Q#2 - What accomplishments give a candidate the background to be a good Councilman?

Ibarra A#2 - Much like Question #1, the candidate must have credibility, meaning well-rounded in knowing the entire community, which means living in the community for a reasonable length of time. Involvement in more than one aspect of the community. One might be a business-owner, have children in the schools and belong to a community group.

Q#3 - What is the TOP problem that a candidate should work on to fix and WHY?

Ibarra A#3 - I wouldn’t characterize it as a “problem” - but more of a challenge. One must realize that our residents might know very little about how a city is run and how much services cost and are paid for. The challenge is educating the community members to understand the reasons for certain decisions - why more funds go into certain things other than others.

Q#4 - What should a candidate do as Council member to improve San Bruno’s infrastructure?

Ibarra A#4 - Knowledge is gold. The more a Councilmember knows and understands the background of San Bruno’s infrastructure, the better he/she can make responsible decisions. One must realize that there are consultants and staff members who are focused on fixing and/or improving the systems - they are not tasked with deciding between one system and another, nor the impacts on the ratepayers. The ultimate decision is based on need, history, value and the future. If one were to envision the infrastructure as part of their own home, decisions will be based on whether or not it can be put off or delayed, how much does it cost and if delayed, where does it fall under one’s priorities?

Q#5 - What should a candidate do as Council member to increase funding and support of the San Bruno schools?

Ibarra A#5 - As a separate governing agency from the schools, one can only offer support as a community partner. Granted, if there are options to share costs, they should be considered. However, the primary goal is to establish the partnership so that financial issues are considered shared.

Q#6 - What should a candidate expect to accomplish in his/her First 100 Days As Council member?

Ibarra A#6 - Great question. One must realize that no matter how long one has lived in a community, taking on the position as Councilmember opens an entirely new world. Getting to know the city services, the structure of the staffing and departments and a basic understanding of day-to-day operations and capital projects. Basic knowledge of funding of general services and special departments is necessary in order to understand the reasons for certain financial decisions. One must also be immediately privy to current issues that may be controversial or challenging. After the first 100 days, one must assess the information, their sources, the past decisions and asking questions.

Q#7 - What has been the BIGGEST mistake the current Council has made that a candidate needs to fix and WHY?

Ibarra A#7 - Mistake is a strong word. I believe the question should ask what needs the most improvement. I believe the current Council could communicate better to the residents. I have always felt that the government structure of council meetings was restricting - which I believe study sessions in the last 10 years has been an improvement - but it’s not enough. The Council needs to be more engaging to the public - we need to truly find out what’s troubling our residents. The Foundation sessions have been enlightening because it has given the residents an opportunity to describe their community. Too many times I hear residents state that the Council makes their own decisions no matter what the public thinks. I believe the City could had engaged the gas explosion residents better with a more personal touch. I believe the Council could outreach the community better for important decisions such as raising rates. I believe we need to provide more public opportunities to engage the community, much like the Centennial Day in the Park and the Posy Parade - get more personal and being less showcase.

/s/ Ken Ibarra

=

Robert Riechel

For San Bruno Patch

Photo Credit: San Bruno Patch Archives

Source Credit: Councilman Ken Ibarra

http://SanBrunoPatch.com

CLICK HERE to Subscribe to News Alerts and a Daily Email Newsletter for San Bruno Patch

http://link.patch.com/join/3-0-subscribe?list=US_CA_SANBRUNO_282