Democrats honor Pleasanton resident
Cheryl Cook-Kalio recognized as county Democrat of the Year
Now that Mayor Jack Balch has easily won re-election over termed-out Councilwoman Julie Testa and Kathy Narum will return to the council, members must get down to an immediate priority.
After former City Manager Gerry Beaudin left with a month’s notice last summer to take the same job in Alameda, the council didn’t rush into an inside promotion or an outside hire. Instead, they recruited long-time Danville Town Manager Joe Calabrigo, who had retired a year earlier, as interim. Calabrigo served 32 years in Danville and provided an experienced hand at the helm.
His contract is scheduled to wind up at year’s end which gives the council a deadline to either convince him to extend, bring in another interim or make the permanent appointment. Presumably, there’s been some quiet scouting/recruiting going on behind the scenes so the council isn’t starting from scratch this month.
Narum will be joined by former school trustee Jamie Yee who won election in District 3 to replace the termed-out Testa. She served 12 years on the school board before stepping aside in 2020. Here’s hoping she will be a more effective council member than two prior school trustees who were among the worst councilmembers I’ve seen in my decades of covering the city.
Congrats to the winners, fresh to council seats, but with plenty of governing experience. Narum served eight years on the council before being termed out and then moved over to serve on the Zone 7 water board.
While congratulating people, let me salute Cheryl Cook-Kalio who was named Democrat of the Year by the Alameda County party. It’s a good year nationally to be a Democrat—always a good time to be one in this deep blue county. She’s one who lives to serve. She retired from a 40-year teaching career in Fremont that focused on civics education and has been active nationally in promoting those programs.
She served eight years on the Pleasanton City Council and then has been elected twice to the county board of education. One of her more significant achievements on the City Council was re-opening the discussion of extending Stoneridge Drive to Livermore when former council obstructionists had taken it out of the General Plan and wanted it to end in a cul-de-sac to avoid cut through traffic ducking off I-580. The road has been connected for years and there’s more Livermore-bound traffic on Santa Rita Road headed for Stanley Boulevard.
Nice article Tim.
I anticipate District 3 will continue delusional another four years.