| | Published September 12th, 2012
| Three Candidates Vie for Two Orinda City Council Seats
| | Laurie Snyder | | |
To see it in our power to make a world happy - to teach mankind the art of being so - to exhibit on the theatre of the universe, a character hitherto unknown - and to have, as it were, a new creation entrusted to our hands, are honors that command reflection, and can neither be too highly estimated, nor too gratefully received. - Thomas Paine, "Common Sense" (1776)
Here are your three candidates for Orinda City Council. Please see our special election section on page A12 for their thoughts on leadership, fiscal responsibility, and community engagement.
LINDA DELEHUNT
The only non-incumbent in the race, Linda Delehunt has experience at the state level helping local education agencies consolidate budgets in order to maximize limited funding, and describes her area of expertise as "assisting entities in targeting and allocating their monetary and physical resources in a manner appropriate to their needs and consistent with their legal obligations."
Delehunt earned her undergraduate degree at the University of California, Berkeley, her Master's at California State University, East Bay, and her doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of the Pacific. She also holds a Professional Administrative Credential.
As principal of Downer Elementary School, she created a partnership between the West Contra Costa Unified School District and Miramonte High School in which Miramonte Advanced Placement Spanish students mentored less affluent learners at Downer Elementary, inspiring all to aim higher while broadening their life experiences and perspectives.
Delehunt has served on the Board of the Orinda Educational Foundation and on the boards of the Glorietta Elementary and Orinda Intermediate School Parents' Clubs. She also founded Orinda's first Girl Scout Daisy Troop and has actively volunteered with the Meadow Swim Team. She and her husband have lived in Orinda for 32 years.
STEVEN GLAZER
Running for re-election to his third term, Orinda's current Mayor Steve Glazer was first elected to the City Council in 2004. He served as Mayor Pro Tem in 2006, as Mayor in 2007, and as Vice Mayor in 2011. Born in Landmark, California, Glazer and his wife moved to Orinda in 1996. They have two daughters.
Glazer describes his work with the City Council as having included "the organization of public safety activities, city budget reforms, staffing the City of Orinda information table at the Farmer's Market, attending numerous civic events, and encouraging the successful effort to modernize the local Safeway store," as well as supporting "changes to policies affecting Theater Square that have resulted in improved public shopping and dining."
According to Glazer's profile on Ballotpedia.org, he was named "political strategist of the year" in 2010 by the American Association of Political Consultants for managing Jerry Brown's successful return to the California Governor's office. He was appointed by Brown to serve on the Board of Trustees for California State University, and was confirmed for that post last April. He has also been an advisor to the Governor regarding the proposed state sales tax increase to be considered by voters in November.
VICTORIA ROBINSON SMITH
The second incumbent running, Victoria Smith was first elected to the Orinda City Council in 2004, serving as Vice Mayor in 2007 and 2010, and as Mayor in 2008 and 2011. She was a member of the City of Orinda's Planning Commission, 2003-2004.
Her current leadership responsibilities include service on the Central Contra Costa Solid Waste Authority, (serving as its Board Chair in 2010), the Contra Costa County Mayor's Conference Executive Board, the City of Orinda Library Steering Committee, Audit and Finance Committee, and Senior Housing Sub-Committee. A liaison to the Moraga-Orinda Fire District, Smith was also previously involved in allocating funding for child abuse prevention and treatment as an appointee of former Supervisor Gayle Uilkema to the Contra Costa County Family and Children's Trust Committee.
A Silicon Valley native, Smith graduated from U.C. Berkeley and Hastings College of the Law. She and her husband, an Orinda native, returned to the community 24 years ago to raise their sons.
She relocated her law practice to Orinda 17 years ago, and currently advises individual and business clients regarding dispute resolution and real estate transactions. A member of the Orinda Chamber of Commerce, she has also served as a Parent's Club board member with Orinda's schools.
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A Q & A with Orinda's City Council Candidates
Meet the Orinda Council Candidates: Linda Delehunt
Meet the Orinda Council Candidates: Steven Glazer
Meet the Orinda Council Candidates: Victoria Robinson Smith
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA