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Elections 2012: Mark Mitchell, Candidate for Lafayette City Council

Lafayette resident Mark Mitchell is running for one of three seats on the Lafayette city council

General Information

Name : Mr. Mark Joseph Mitchell
Age : 55
Place of residence : Lafayette, CA 94549

Education

College

Attended college : Yes
College : University of California, Berkeley
Degree : Bachelors of Science in Business Administration
Year of graduation : Fall of 1980

Grad school

Employment Information

Job titles held : NA

Employers : NA

Political Information

Party affiliation : Other
Party affiliation : Decline to state
Running for a: Local office
Running for position: Lafayette City Council
Chamber/district:
Incumbent: No
Previous elective offices : NA
Unsuccessful bids for elective offices: NA

Party HQ

Address 3461 South Silver Springs Road
Lafayette
CA
94549

Campaign Manager

Name : Mark Mitchell
Title : Chairman

URLs

Website : mitchell4citycouncil2012.com

Other facts

I seek your support for election to the Lafayette City Council in November. Growing up in Lafayette and living here for 50 years, I share the values of our residents. We savor our small town feel and want responsible growth that is sensitive to our concerns about traffic, parking, and protection of our views. We love our schools and volunteer or donate to help out. We require a prudent fiscal plan for our City government. We love Lafayette’s semi-rural beauty and want to protect our ridgelines. Serving on Lafayette’s Planning Commission for the last 10 years (Chair, 2008), I have listened carefully to our residents and have consistently voted to protect neighborhoods, to support senior housing, to protect our hillsides and ridgelines and to maintain the small town feel of our downtown. Driving to town on Moraga Road, I understand how traffic from Moraga impacts us, and know that we need to address our traffic problems throughout the city. As a Planning Commissioner I have assisted in critiquing and revising the 2002 General Plan, the Hillside and Ridgeline Ordinance in 2003, and the Downtown Specific Plan. I currently serve on the Wireless Communications Facility Ordinance Committee to create new rules to protect public health and safety, and to preserve the beauty of Lafayette. In 2001, I founded the Sweet Drive Homeowners Association and co-founded burtonvalley.com to organize our local community. While raising two children, Lauren (17), and Ryan (19), my wife, Anne, and I have been involved in many community activities. Anne has been treasurer of the Lafayette Community Foundation and president of the Burton Valley Elementary School PTA. We have also been active in the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts for the last 12 years. Beyond my civic duties, I coached 11 different youth sports teams including boys basketball, girls basketball, indoor floor hockey, roller hockey, t-ball, baseball and soccer. I have also served on the Our Savior’s Lutheran Church Council, been on their executive board as treasurer and currently serve as Foundation president. I graduated from University of California at Berkeley with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance and Real Estate. I have worked in the field of investment real estate and property management since 1982. I would welcome any help that you can give to my campaign and would appreciate your vote in the November 6 Lafayette City Council election. Thank you.

lovelafayette September 8, 2012 at 01:13 pm
Thank you for your years of public service. I do not see achieving an open and transparent government on your platform. I feel this is THE most important issue, as it affects everything in town. How often do you go to City Council meetings? The autocratic and paternalistic attitude of council is a frequent complaint, cited as a barrier to attendance and participation at meetings. How will you increase attendance and public participation at Council meetings? Would you consider changing to a Q and A format for public comment at council, allowing comments BEFORE and AFTER the council debate? The current format (3 minute comment with timer buzzer before the council debates, and then sit down and shut up) stifles public participation and is the source of frequent complaints by speakers. Please comment on past Brown Act violations by Council and PTRC; what lasting impact do you feel the intervention by the DA has had on compliance? What will you do to fully implement all provisions of the Brown Act and Public Records Act and insure they are honored by all government representatives, all the time? The sun just does not shine on government is Lafayette.
Regular Guy October 21, 2012 at 07:55 pm
Mark, what if anything will you do to resist the pressure by MTC, ABAG, and other unelected quasi-governments promoting high-density housing in Lafayette? Will you join other cities fighting them? Will you refuse their money?
In all the candidates' websites and statements, I have only found one candidate, Traci Reilly, who even hinted at this crucial issue: "I believe we need to maintain greater local control of that growth and to stand up to outside agencies that are a driving force behind some of the development." I wish we had 3 candidates who would pledge to fight MTA and ABAG to the bitter end, until the state's voters wake up and terminate those unaccountable agencies.

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