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Published August 20, 2008
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Meet the Candidate, Lafayette
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| By Cathy Tyson |
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Lafayette voters will choose three of four candidates for City Council this November; three incumbents, Mike Anderson, Carl Anduri and Carol Federighi, hope to retain their seats while newcomer Gabriel Froymovich would like to oust one of them.
Carol Federighi
First elected to the Lafayette City Council in 1999, Carol Federighi has the most on-the- job experience of all the candidates. She’s lived in Lafayette for 31 years with husband Douglas, raised her two sons here and has four young granddaughters. She’s an attorney who practices Juvenile Dependency law in Alameda County. In her free time, she enjoys travel, skiing, scuba diving as well as playing bridge and golf.
She’s seen many changes since she first took office. During her tenure on the City Council she has worked with staff, volunteers and other council members to accomplish a number of things. Federighi feels that one of her most important achievements is strengthening the protections for our hillsides and ridgelines. “We have put in place new regulations and zoning that restricts building on our hillsides and ridgelines so that their natural beauty is preserved.” In addition, “We were able to finance the construction and future maintenance of the award winning Lafayette Library and Learning Center through use of our Redevelopment Funds, an $11 M state grant, and the generous contributions of many supporters.” While in office Federighi has been keenly aware of financial issues. “We budget conservatively, allowing us to retain a healthy reserve and earn the highest bond rating in Contra Costa County.” Finally, she has worked with Eden Housing to plan for new affordable housing for seniors, enhanced parks, walkways and trails and narrowed the gap needed to bring all of Lafayette’s roads up to good condition. She has many priorities for her next term, should she be elected. The list includes, fiscal soundness and retention of a healthy reserve, supporting a strong retail core that is pedestrian friendly, attractive to shoppers while continuing to attempt to develop additional public parking, long-range downtown planning, road repair, maintenance and reconstruction, neighborhood preservation and support for affordable senior housing and services that is economically feasible.
Why run for re-election? “I believe we need experienced and dedicated leadership to meet the challenges we face in the next four years: repairing and maintaining our residential roads, meeting regional affordable housing goals, retaining our fiscal health, reaching consensus on a long-range plan for our downtown, meeting State threats to local dollars and land use planning, addressing the needs of a growing senior population, and protecting our unique small town environment. I have the background, interest and enthusiasm to serve,” said Federighi.
Mike Anderson
After running unopposed in 2004, current Mayor Mike Anderson will be vying for one of the three available City Council seats among a total of four contenders in November. A 17-year resident of Lafayette along with wife Courtney, he enjoys making beer, working in their garden, and walking to restaurant row for a great meal.
His job as Assistant General Manager Planning/Stewardship & Development for the East Bay Regional Park District, gives him a unique perspective. “I think my work at the Park District has equipped me with an in-depth understanding of the public processes involved in issues related to planning as well as the maintenance of infrastructure, preservation of open space and the efficient delivery of services.” He continued, “Lafayette is defined by its open and undeveloped hills and ridgelines, but also has public improvements and programs that make it a desirable place to live. In these ways the city is very much like a park with permanent residents.” Should he be re-elected, Anderson has specific priorities, but is mindful of financial realities. “It seems obvious to me that we really need to develop a strategy to acquire the funding needed to repair our roads, improve policing and develop a comprehensive program of senior services. This funding may come from changes in our current spending priorities, as well as new sources. I am looking forward to the report from the City Finance Review Committee as well as the Downtown Strategic Plan process to guide our decision making on this issue. “Achieving economic sustainability in Lafayette will have to be accomplished in front of a backdrop of an uncertain State budget, a difficult economic environment and a serious need to rethink our methods and processes which were founded on cheap energy and abundant resources. I really feel that among these challenges are great opportunities for Lafayette to successfully adapt and thrive,” he said.
While in office, Anderson re-established the City Finance Review Committee, he also chairs the Downtown Strategic Plan Advisory Committee. In addition, he’s attended many community events, recognizing the contributions of seniors, youth and service volunteers. “I think it’s very important that these people know how essential their efforts are to the vibrancy of our city.” Why seek re-election? “The people who are currently on the City Council are really a special and talented group. Staying up late at night with them, trying to find answers to difficult problems, I find to be both inspiring and educational. I know that I gain something very special when doing this work and I know there is some lasting good that comes from it.”
Carl Anduri
Carl Anduri has been a resident of Lafayette for 28 years, is married and has two children. He’s been a member of the City Council for six years, filling a seat for half a term due to a resignation. He ran unopposed in 2004. Anduri is an attorney and president of a global association of law firms, where he is the CEO of the association and supervises its 17 staff members.
What are Anduri’s greatest achievements? He says, “The Council has worked together very well and shares credit for achievements. That being said, when I was Mayor in 2005, we formed the Senior Housing Task Force which has been working very hard to make possible affordable senior housing in Lafayette. During that same year we formed the Environmental Strategy Task Force which has led to the adoption of the City’s environmental mission statement and to a plan, which we are carrying out. I have served as chair of both of these groups.” Anduri is quick to credit teamwork by the Council, noting that, “Shared achievements include managing the City in a fiscally responsible manner that has resulted in the highest bond rating among cities in the county and protecting Lafayette’s hillsides and ridges. I also serve as Co-chair of the Roads Task Force, which has sought ways to fund our City road and drain repairs. The City Council has allocated over $10 million to road repairs during the past six years to alleviate this problem. However, we have much more to do.”
If Anduri is elected for another term, he says his priorities would include: “Obtaining the financing necessary to bring all our neighborhood roads up to a high standard and continuing to manage Lafayette’s limited financial resources prudently by providing services that are efficient, responsive and cost-effective.” Anduri would also like to preserve the character of our neighborhoods and the semi-rural nature of Lafayette, protect hillsides, ridges and open space, create vibrant, pedestrian friendly downtown, support the Environmental Task Force, and finally add to the parks and trail system.
Anduri says he is running for re-election because, “There will be many difficult issues Lafayette will face during the next four years, and we need to bring to bear all the experience that we can – not just Council members, but all members of the community who generously volunteer their time. I also fully support the re-election of my colleagues on the Council – Carol Federighi and Mike Anderson,” concluded Anduri.
Gabriel Froymovich
The youngest of the four contenders, at 25-years-old, is Gabriel Froymovich. He’s a consultant for out of state home health care companies, and he’s also a partner in a real estate investment and holdings company. In addition, he’s a partner in both www.lamorindawinesociety.com and a micro boutique winery in Sonoma County, according to his website. Froymovich enjoys ballet and the arts, parks and open space, food, wine and travel. One of his greatest passions is living a sustainable life. If elected he plans to quit his consulting work, transition into part-time work in the wine industry and go back to school part-time to pursue an MBA. His girlfriend of two years is a ballerina with Company C Contemporary Ballet in Walnut Creek.
“As a city councilperson, my first order of business would not be to dive in and start trying to push through changes. For at least one or two months, I would take some time to learn all the ins and outs of the city, its operations and the job of councilperson. The budget would be my first focus, including an assessment of the state of our roads. Every last piece of the budget needs to be thoroughly evaluated and we need to prioritize our infrastructure needs. The Lafayette City Council must find a way to come up with a budget that addresses our needs without raising taxes. I believe that, with our great resources, we can do this and my website goes a long way to explaining how,” said Froymovich.
With regard to land use planning and Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) guidelines, Froymovich has some definite ideas. “I do not believe that it is the council's duty to eagerly enact every ABAG policy. I have been to council meetings where expensive consultants give presentations on sweeping, community-transforming plans to comply with ABAG planning. I do not believe that this is money well-spent. I do not believe that our council should rush to increase population density and to develop large amounts of low-income housing. On the one hand, the City is trying to maintain open space by purchasing it with taxpayer dollars; on the other hand, it is willing to sacrifice our small-town feel and breathing room to multi-unit housing. On the one hand, the Council asks for higher taxes, on the other, it is working with ABAG to put in low-income housing that could harm property values and, therefore, property taxes.”
For more information, see his website at www.froymovich.wordpress.com/.
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| Reach Cathy Tyson at: cathy@lamorindaweekly.com |
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA