Almaden resident Michael D'Angelo goes online to get his news and stayed informed about community issues. He casually kept up with what District 10 Councilwoman Nancy Pyle was doing while she was running her campaign for the council position, but now that she is in office, D'Angelo said he is not aware of what Pyle has been doing.
"I have not seen anything in writing that states what she's trying to do," he said. "I wouldn't mind getting emails from her."
After a month off in July, which included a vacation in Greece, Pyle returns to city affairs and has residents such as D'Angelo in mind. With seven months under her belt as a council member, Pyle said she would be focusing on communicating and meeting more with constituents as the city council returns to work.
"I don't think you can overcommunicate," she said. "When effective communication is not abundant, then you have people speculating. They have a right to know."
Pyle has begun to send out electronic newsletters to neighborhood groups and envisions brown bag lunch sessions when she meets with Almaden residents. She also plans on inviting state and county leaders to speak on regional issues.
"We're all tied together in terms of the budget," she said. "The more we get to know the representatives, the more effective we are in making our voices heard."
Pyle credits her colleagues on the 18th floor of city hall for making the transition to city council smooth. Their longer tenures on the council have given them the ability to see the larger picture, she said.
"I can't say enough good things about my fellow city council members," she said. "All the time they have made sure we are on the right page. They have been great, but we have to make sure we don't wear out our welcome."
Grateful for the help she's received, Pyle promises to do the same for the newly elected council member who will represent District 7 starting in September.
Her seven months in office have given her many firsts, such as her first time balancing the city's budget. She said she was reduced to "jello" by the four 80-hour weeks that went into bridging a $58 million deficit.
During the first half of the year, Pyle heard from her constituents mostly about speeding and potholes. She applauded her staff for staying on top of those concerns.
"Once we're aware, we hop onto it immediately," she said.
Residents have been critical of slow responses from the city, she said; it is an issue she said the city is working on.
Another concern was about the transition from outgoing Councilwoman Pat Dando to Pyle, but that has been smooth.
"She has connected with all the city departments," said Jeri Arstingstall, president of the VEP Community Association in Blossom Valley. "We wanted to continue the relationship [with the city]. Nothing got lost. So far, so good."
Bud Spadafore, president of the Villas of Almaden Homeowners Association, the community where many residents complained of coyotes attacking small pets last year, gave equal praise to both Pyle and her predecessor.
"She has taken time to meet with me on a Saturday or an evening," he said. "I was pleased with Pat Dando, and I'm equally pleased with Nancy Pyle and her staff."
Maureen Harrington, whose interaction with Pyle arose out of her concerns about the soccer fields that were slated for the South Almaden Valley Urban Reserve Hearing, was pleased Pyle will focus on being more visible in the community.
"When a candidate is involved, I tend to listen to them a little bit more," Harrington said.
Carol Hallett, a community leader and secretary of the Almaden Valley Community Association, has been impressed with Pyle's ability to listen to all sides.
"Her policy has always been to listen, find out what the opposition thinks and looking at the big picture. I applaud her for staying with that conviction," Hallett said.
Dan Migliore said Pyle's office has done a good job making sure his community's concerns are being taken seriously. Migliore serves as the vice president of the Montevideo Homeowners Association and said safety in that neighborhood ranks high on the list of concerns for his neighbors. He recalled that Daniella Polar, who works as the community relations coordinator in Pyle's office, was at a recent board meeting. While it is common for council members' staff to attend neighborhood meetings and that this practice is not exclusive to Pyle, Migliore said he felt good knowing that someone in the city was working on his behalf.
"I took that as another reason I like living in Almaden Valley. It's like a small town," he said. "It's neat to have a representative hear our concerns."
Arstingstall, of the community association in Blossom Valley, said relaying comments to Pyle's office has been easy but still has limitations.
"They are pretty responsive but never as fast as you'd like them to be," she said. "I also understand there are 90,000 residents she needs to attend to, and we're just 2,400. We do know we have to be patient, but our job is to make sure our stuff stays visible."
One battle Arstingstall said she and her neighbors lost was the rezoning to allow two residences at one property at Birkenshaw Place and Branham Lane in Blossom Valley. The neighbors were against building the two homes that would front Branham. The driveways would be on Branham, where traffic moves faster than the posted speed limit, the neighbors say, and would pose a dangerous situation for drivers backing out or passing by. However, Pyle voted to allow the homes to be built.
"We're still not happy about it," Arstingstall said. Pyle's argument was that she didn't want to tell the property owner what could and couldn't be done with the property, she said.
"I can't fault her for that," adding that she still believes that property should not have been developed.
Pyle said she is expecting more from herself and her staff this coming year. Her constituents will be watching closely how she works for them. There's still much to learn about the job, Arstingstall said.
"To me, she is still coming up to speed," she said. "But I don't see them [the staff] going downhill."
Don House, who serves as the treasurer of the Almaden Senior Association, doesn't foresee too many changes ahead in her work habits or priorities.
"I expect she'll be doing great," he said. "If she doesn't, I'll tell her, and she knows that." |
August 11, 2005
