Despite overwhelming public support to have the city’s July 4 celebration return to Central Park, the Santa Clara City Council opted to keep the event at Mission College.
At its most recent meeting Feb. 10, the council considered where to have the celebration in light of construction at the park that greatly hinders the city’s ability to host the event.
Several council members worried about logistics, such as parking and traffic as well as its proximity to the city’s last FIFA World Cup game July 1.
“I know that the neighborhoods have always been jammed with people parking on the streets, parking in people’s driveways, blocking our driveways, blocking the streets,” Council Member Kevin Park said. “If we don’t have the parking, if we don’t have the other essential elements resolved, if we don’t have those, this could be a worse experience for everyone. I think there is more to consider than just where it is.”
Kim Castro, the city’s recreation manager, presented three options. The first was to have an evening event, complete with fireworks. The second was a city picnic during the day. The third was to continue having the event at Mission College, 3000 Mission College Blvd., as it has for the past two years.
A community survey of more than 400 residents showed overwhelming support for the night event at Central Park, with more than half saying it was the most important thing to them.
Council Member Kelly Cox and Mayor Lisa Gillmor opposed holding the event at Mission College.
While there was nothing wrong with the fireworks show at Mission College, both said it was more of a “regional event.” Cox said it lacked the “heart” of a community event that lost the “family feel.”
Gillmor and Cox both lamented the council going against clear public sentiment.
“This is kind of a slap in the face, saying ‘you’ve said what you wanted. We are going to do something different’,” she said.
The difference in cost between the two options is roughly $100,000, with a city fireworks event in Central Park costing $254,100 and the event at Mission College costing $154,000.
Castro said the city has $66,000 earmarked for such events and anticipates another $146,000 in grants and sponsorships before July 4.
Cox and Gillmor dissented.
Library Plans Future
The council also approved two plans for its libraries.
City Manager Jovan Grogan described the strategic plan as the programs the library offers, while its master plan details the infrastructure needed to enable those programs.
Patty Wong, the city’s librarian, told the council that the three-year strategic plan focuses on a few pillar ideas. Among those was greater access. That includes expanding library hours and offering after-hours access to community rooms.
Through partnerships, marketing, strengthening services and improving capacity, Wong said the library is placing an emphasis on “forward thinking.”
“We can’t be everything to everyone, but we can develop our role as a community resource,” she said. “We really need to take a good look at all the things that we do to make them operationally more efficient, but also to use technology in the best way possible.”
More support for the homeless and creating a public dashboard were also priorities.
Further, Wong said, the longer view of the 20-year master plan “dovetails nicely” with the city’s recent influx of bond measure money, roughly $9 million of which is earmarked for libraries. That money will likely go toward adding more community rooms, cafe enhancements and overall, just adding more public space, she said.
Moreover, Wong said, if the city grows at the expected rate, adding another library to the city’s northside will likely be necessary in the upcoming years.
The council approved the plans unanimously.
Ousted Vice Mayor Tees Off Publicly
Finally, the city’s former vice mayor showed up during public comments to decry the state of city hall.
Anthony Becker, who served as vice mayor until his perjury conviction last year, gave a lengthy indictment of his political enemies, namely Gillmor. He lobbed accusations of political assassination, saying many of the things that happened to him while serving on the council “haunt” him.
He said he “didn’t listen to the warnings” of how “hostile,” “insular” and “crooked” Santa Clara could be.
Becker said accountability is “lacking” in the city. Toward that end, he called for the council to investigate how information about the FIFA World Cup games showed up in the media despite supposedly being confidential.
“Investigate council members. Investigate staff. Investigate me,” he said. “Enough is enough … let’s put some accountability in this city.”
Old guard Santa Clara gadfly Deborah Bress called into the meeting, echoing some of Becker’s sentiments. She too pointed the finger at Gillmor.
“It is about time somebody looked under the kimono and start exposing the people that are cheating and lying and ripping off the people of Santa Clara,” she said.
Consent Calendar Spending
The council approved the following spending via the consent calendar:
- A $767,985 contract with Henkels & McCoy West for transmission line extension at the Laurelwood Substation.
- A $11.2 million contract with Par Western Line Contractors for expansion at the Juliette Substation.
The next regularly scheduled meeting is 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24 in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 1500 Warburton Ave. in Santa Clara.
Members of the public can participate in the City Council meetings on Zoom at https://santaclaraca.zoom.us/j/99706759306; Meeting ID: 997-0675-9306 or call 1 (669) 900-6833, via the City’s eComment (available during the meeting) or by email to PublicComment@santaclaraca.gov
Contact David Alexander at d.todd.alexander@gmail.com
Previous City Council Meetings:
Santa Clara Council Passes Anti-ICE Policy
SVP Gives Bi-annual Report, Council to Discuss Opposing ICE at Super Bowl
Santa Clara Puts Bond Money to Work
Santa Clara Budget Surplus to Bolster Reserves
Thank you, Anthony Becker, for having the backbone to speak out. Harassment, lies, and bullying are alive and well in Santa Clara, and residents should not be fooled. Many people in this community are afraid to speak up because intimidation is real. Silence does not mean consent. It means people are tired of being targeted.
As for the individual you chose not to name, the claim that she did not know a Civil Grand Jury member sitting at the same table where you were a guest simply does not hold up. Civil Grand Jury membership is public information. Anyone can look it up. Pretending otherwise strains credibility.
It is also well documented that Jeanie Mahan did not invite the grand juror to her table. That individual was placed there by someone else, and we now know who that was because it was confirmed publicly at a council meeting that she placed the juror at Ms. Mahan’s table. That fact alone raises serious questions.
What is even more troubling is the continued effort by Lisa’s political circle to deflect, cover up, and deny. The pattern is becoming obvious. Lisa Gillmor has a long record of encouraging allies and sympathizers to serve on committees, commissions, charter review boards, and even grand juries. That is not conjecture. It is documented and visible to anyone paying attention.
Debbie Tryforos is widely known to be part of Lisa’s inner circle. Residents are capable of drawing their own conclusions, but they should not be asked to suspend common sense.
At some point, the question becomes unavoidable. Instead of directing scrutiny toward others, perhaps it is time for a grand jury to examine Gillmor and her associates more closely. When accusations are constantly aimed outward, it is reasonable to ask whether equal attention should be given inward.
The double standards are becoming harder to ignore. Between what we are seeing with Becker and Roger Kint, the contrast is stark. Accountability should apply equally, not selectively.
Santa Clara deserves transparency, fairness, and leadership that operates above intimidation and political maneuvering.
You can’t see the fire works from Mission College, not in the parking lot and not from the Pavillion. So why waste the money on renting the venue.
During the topic about Council having joint dinners with City Commissioners to hear their needs, perspectives and other items Mayor Gillmor really gave us a lot to chew on and think about. Now it will take a lot of you to put your thinking caps on and connect some dots here. Gillmor stated, “As a former tenure parks and recreation commissioner, I do remember the City Council wasn’t listening to us, didn’t care what we had to say and it was frustrating”. That statement alone connects the dot to 1987 that I talked about when Gillmor was a former parks and recreation commissioner Chair. She was interviewed by the Grand Jury then that released a report on the Golf Course where David’s Restaurant ended up being and the later never developed Related Project. The report was to look into the Golf Course operations and costs and was on the basis that then Commissioner Gillmor felt the Council was not listening to her and other commissioners including then commissioner Emmy Minster Moore. This now shows how Gillmor’s influence has now produced that 1987 Grand Jury Report. Gillmor had it out for that Golf Course from the beginning calling it a money loser. Gillmor wanted the San Francisco Giants or Oakland A’s to play on that spot if everyone remembers Measure N from 1990. This explains why Gillmor has so much hate for David’s Restaurant and why she forced him out by eminent domain. She didn’t want anything there that she couldn’t control. David’s owner donated to Caserta, Mahan, Matthews, and even Debbie Bress and Becker. Gillmor had clear intentions to destroy him. Nearly 10 years later and nothing has been built on his land except for his old aging sign as a message to David that she ‘outplayed’ him. https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/levis-stadium-restaurant-21331663.php. Very concerning, see how transparent Gillmor is to give us that little golden nugget that she influenced that 1987 Grand Jury Report just like she has in recent years 2016, 2022 and twice in 2024. The Gillmor Machine now says the council and staff is not listening to commissioners probably the basis of the 2026 Grand Jury Report that is coming soon.
As for Anthony Becker the former Councilmember now convicted felon, he showed up to put another target on his back. His information has now put him in harms way. One can say its good that all this is coming out however at what cost? has he not learned about the costs?
One thing that stood out was when a member of the public responded to Becker, Debbie Tryforos gave herself away. Becker never mentioned her by name and only mentioned the person who was in charge of seating people at his table. Debbie standing up admitting she is the person in charge of seating was priceless and stating she had no clue it was a grand juror. Debbie is the same person who wrote to the grand jury to complain about city council and the same who always talked about the grand jury referencing the reports. in Debbie Tryforos was the ticket holder for that event and didn’t know who she was selling tickets too? at the same time she is the seating assigner that didn’t know she was placing a civil grand juror at the table of Becker, a Councilmember that was under that grand jurors investigations that then released a report weeks later that Debbie Tryforos was talking about in the fancy POA ad. She had no clue right? Sounds more and more like Sgt Schultz’ sister, she knows nothing and sees nothing.
As for the investigation Becker is requesting will the council have a spine to do it? Will Kelly Cox support it, will Gillmor support it, Will Karen Hardy or even Albert Gonzalez support it? Sounds more and more like a city cover up don’t it?
As for the city 4th of July event, it should be always be fireworks at Central Park. However, with the whole construction, the swim center etc, Mission College will do for the interim. Yet Gillmor turns this around that the council or staff is not listening to the public and she is willing to spend more money on work arounds that settling for this temporary solution. Once everything is done, the crown jewel Central Park of Santa Clara will return as the host of the 4th of July celebrations. That is when Gillmor and Kelly Cox can complain.
Upon further research into the accusations that former Councilmember and convicted felon Anthony Becker laid out on during Tuesday nights meeting. I have discovered the following.
First, the accusation that was made was that nearly four years ago, former Assemblymember Evan Low divulged his supposed ketamine use to Becker and his husband and that Evan’s own partner can get anyone prescriptions because he is a pharmacist. Becker described the witnesses as himself, his husband and current Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens who at the time was Evan’s former chief of staff.
After doing some digging, I found that the ‘legislation’ that Becker briefly referenced. Evan Low co-sponsored a bill in 2021 with California State Senator Scott Wiener and other members of the senate and assembly which would have decriminalized the possession and personal use of certain psychedelic drugs like MDMA, LSD and ketamine to name a few. Known as senate bill 519 it would have also expunged any criminal records for people convicted of possession and personal use of those substances. The bill ultimately failed, but this is very concerning and raises serious ethical questions that if this is true what Becker states then Low was promoting a co-sponsoring a bill that would decriminalize his ketamine use which sounds awfully self serving and protecting himself from criminal charges for his supposes recreational drug use. However that is not all, another bill known as AB1753 that Evan Low introduced in 2018 would require prescription forms for controlled substances to have uniquely serialized numbers in an effort to curb prescription pad abuse. Again, if Becker’s further accusations in to Evan Low holds weight like that Evan’s own boyfriend is a pharmacist that could get Becker and his husband whatever they wanted again raises serious red flags of literal prescription pad abuse. Again, if true this is something that is serious and needs the attention of District Attorney Jeff Rosen. However, I will say Jeff Rosen will not look into it because Evan is an ally. In 2023, Evan Low was the host of the swearing in ceremony for Jeff Rosen. https://www.youtube.com/live/QREQsAFNgi0?si=PXQzBORvw-g0yL7x.
Coincidentally, next month, Evan Low who is now CEO of an LGTBQ organization helping get LGBTQ type candidates elected will be at an event fundraiser being held for Scott Wiener who is running to replace Nancy Pelosi due to her retirement. Again, Wiener was the author of the bill that Evan Low co-sponsored to decriminalize drugs like ketamine, MDMA etc.
Additionally, Becker didn’t end there in his accusations as there were many, one of them that stood out was his naming of a former Santa Clara ethics consultant’s drug use as well. There is only one name I could think of that matches Becker’s description and that is the Santa Clara “ethics expert” I always discuss. Was he meaning Tom Shanks? Seems pretty obvious, however there are so many more questions about the statements made. Maybe there will be some answers soon because these are some serious allegations that could lead to more serious consequences.
while I have not had much to do with Evan I have always noted he has a lot of pubescent young men working for him. Creepy.
thank you for looking into this – you should look into some of the other things he wants to change especially involving children and parents rights
What is more absurd, Evan Low posturing as a moral authority, or Shanks lecturing anyone about ethics. The irony would be amusing if it were not so blatant.
Then there is Teresa O’Niel showing up at Kevin Parks’ divorce proceedings, performing concern for the audience. Was that compassion, or was she simply gathering information for her boss, Lisa and the blogger.
And let us not overlook the so called pizza guy, constantly hovering around corners with a camera in hand, harassing people as if it were a profession.
This is not coincidence. It is a pattern. And it is not normal.
The real question is whether the public is finally paying attention, or choosing not to see what is right in front of them.
Recall Gillmor not Jain