Myrna de Vera Press Release
— by Jeffrey Wisniewski — 3 August 2010 — 4 comments below »
Myrna de Vera has released a statement (attached below) formally announcing her candidacy for City Council since qualifying.
Considering her outspoken role on the Planning Commission, coupled with support from the powerful Filipino contingent (including, alas, Vice Mayor Ed Balico), de Vera is seemingly quite the formidable candidate in a race largely dependent on name recognition and a dedicated group of supporters.
COMMISSIONER MYRNA DE VERA RUNNING FOR HERCULES, CALIFORNIA CITY COUNCIL
Myrna Lardizabal de Vera, a Planning Commissioner in Hercules, California, announced her candidacy today for Hercules City Council after meeting the qualifying requirements. De Vera will be participating in the November 2, 2010 Election which has two open Council seats.
In her statement, Myrna de Vera, an Asian American of Filipino ancestry, said: “I am running for City Council because I care deeply for the people of the City of Hercules and I want to serve my community. I believe that with my leadership experiences in the Planning Commission, my grass-roots community involvement, and my profession as a business owner, I will be a competent and committed representative for all Herculeans. I will vigilantly work for reforms to ensure our government’s consistent practice of high ethical standards.”
Since 2005, de Vera has served on the Planning Commission as Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson. With appropriate credentials and experience garnered from earning her B.S. Architecture degree at the University of the Philippines, Myrna de Vera participated in the planning of projects such as the Waterfront, Intermodal Transit Station, Sycamore Downtown, New Town Center, and many more. She emphasizes, “I will continue working toward realizing our progressive vision of a transit-oriented, new urbanism-designed, and sustainable city. At the same time, I believe the city’s General Plan is long overdue and in dire need of being updated.”
Myrna de Vera’s appeal to Hercules’ stakeholders is primarily her volunteer work in diverse local organizations that, she admits, “hones my independent thinking, sharpens my skills in team leadership, and develops the inclusive decision-making process in any project or activity.” Hands-on experiences include being the Treasurer of the Filipino-Americans of Hercules, member of the Pastoral Council of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, and a volunteer at drives for the Asian American Donor Program. She is also a proud member of the Hercules Chamber of Commerce, Hercules Lions Club, and Filipino Americans of Contra Costa.
“During these challenging economic times, Hercules needs a leader with business experience to promote fiscal responsibility and economic development so the city will raise sufficient funds to strengthen public safety, educational, youth and senior programs, ” de Vera pointed out, acknowledging her business background which includes ownership of an insurance agency in San Francisco, California.
Recently, Myrna de Vera was honored as the 2010 Hercules Woman of the Year by the City of Hercules and given a Special Recognition Award by the Hercules Chamber of Commerce. Filipina Women’s Network also recognized her as one of the “100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the USA” for 2009 under the Policymakers and Visionaries category.
Myrna and her husband Manuel, sons Mark, Christian, and Emmanuel have been residents of Hercules, California for the past 19 years.
For more information about Myrna de Vera and her bid for Hercules City Council, contact CitizensForMyrnaDeVera@gmail.com.
Is Myrna another rubber stamp for the City Manager or will she make independent decisions based on informed facts and research?
Hello Jeff,
Thank you for posting my official press release. I’ve always been an avid reader of your blog because I do care to know how the residents feel and think about a project that may come in front of the planning commission. I think you are doing a great service to your neighborhood by giving neighbors a vehicle to communicate and get city updates. Every neighborhood in Hercules should have a blog like yours.
“Anonymous”, thank you for asking this important question. I’d like to answer your question, “Anonymous,” by sharing two links of planning commission meetings which concerned the Waterfront. By watching the meeting, you may be able to make a judgement for yourself if I am a rubber-stamper for the City Manager or if I make independent decisions based on informed facts and research.
These meetings occured just when the waterfrontwatch blog got created. There are many more meetings to watch at the City of Hercules Website, if you wish to check out how I make decisions.
December 17, 2007
http://hercules.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=5&clip_id=178
January 7, 2008
http://hercules.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=5&clip_id=180
Jeff, I’d be happy to answer any more questions or concerns you and your readers may have at CitizensForMyrnaDeVera@gmail.com
Ms De Vera, you are a welcome breath of fresh air! I wouldn’t know you if you knocked on my front door but you certainly come across well in your press release. You have indicated that you are not a “rubber stamp” and I applaud your desire to think independently. Would you care to weigh in on the antics of the current city council and Mr Oliva and his co-horts?
Hello Big Bear. Thank you for your kind comments. I would like to give credit where it is due—my PRO-volunteer (my sister), Lorna Dietz, wrote the press release based on interviews and my official candidate statement.
I hope to meet you one day since I actually plan on knocking on residents’ homes to introduce myself. Let me know you are Big Bear.
As I told “Anonymous”, I strongly recommend to you and to your neighbors who wish to know me better to watch archived meetings of the Hercules Planning Commission either through the City of Hercules website or taped meetings that can be requested from the City Planning Department.
My track record speaks for itself. I do my homework diligently and I come to the meetings prepared. I am open to the citizens voicing out their opinions. I tackle issues with an open mind, deliberate on the issues as thoroughly possible, and try to create the best solutions for the good of Hercules, together with the team of commissioners and staff. I push for public participation through workshops, town hall meetings, and the annual community update. This is how I have approached my commission work in the past, how I currently operate, and how I will be in the future.
My running for city council is by itself a strong demonstration of my desire to change the governing philosophy of the current Hercules local government. Change is definitely needed and I believe that I am qualified to help bring the right change.
The Hercules City Council has made mistakes, especially regarding transparency to the citizens it serves. Council members should always embrace public input and analyze the issues put in front of them. They should be questioning what the city manager and the staff members recommend and not just quickly approve contracts, resolutions, ordinances, or initiatives. When residents question or ask for clarification on an issue, the city council should seek answers for the citizen instead of greeting him or her with silence. The grand jury investigation has been a well publicized controversy. However, there are many other endemic problems that need to be corrected and the past standard operating procedures should be revised. It cannot be business as usual.
I believe that with the partnership of the citizens of Hercules and a responsible, caring City Council, we can make Hercules better during these challenging times. I know this for a fact since the Hercules Planning Commission has been consistently demonstrating the partnership of citizens, the city manager and staff, consultants and commission through our workshop meetings and town hall meetings.
I hope that by moving up to City Council, I will be able to influence positive change so that instead of doubt and suspicion cast upon all public servants, the citizens will once again trust that the entire city government is working for the best interest of the community.