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Los Altos Hills Gets New Council Members, Mayor

Courtenay C. Corrigan and John Harpootlian were sworn into office, and Gary Waldeck was elected mayor Wednesday night.

 

Before a standing-room only crowd, Courtenay C. Corrigan and John Harpootlian were sworn in as Los Altos Hills' newest Town Council members Wednesday night.

Gary Waldeck was elected mayor and John Radford as vice mayor, in the new council's first order of business.

Before that, however, the council paid tribute to two members who were leaving the body, Jean Mordo and Ginger Summit. 

"You've always worked with the best interests of the town at heart," said outgoing Mayor Rich Larsen. "I will miss you a lot," he added, recalling how Mordo recruited him and Ginger Summit four years ago, and how Mordo mentored him.

The council ensured Mordo wasn't going to be disappearing from Town Hall, however. The former chief financial officer, was appointed to the town's finance committee earlier in the meeting.

The same was true for Summit, who the council appointed to the History Committee.

"There are really few people who have taken the role more seriously than you," said Radford, who, seated next to her on the dais for the past two years ,could see her detailed notes on hard copies of the council's agenda and supporting documents showing how thoroughly she had reviewed the material, while the rest of the iPad-toting council could mask their preparation. 

Waldeck praised outgoing mayor Rich Larsen as providing "balanced leadership" and described him as "the epitome" of a mayor. Summit And Radford reminded him he still had a full term ahead as council member. "To use a golfing term, you've only played the front nine."

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David R. May 20, 2013 at 01:18 pm
I saw a public report that said most of the discussion related to carpooling and so forth, sinceRead More Blach is separated so much from the rest of the school. You know, things like dropping off both kids at Egan, and then a group of kids headed for Blach share a ride or vice versa. I don't see how any nonparents can really help with that.
mtnview_parent April 12, 2013 at 03:06 am
The only problem with the charter school is that they cause more problem than they solve. TheyRead More want to close Covington, then Blach. So, they don't provide flexibility at all. They keep going to court. This is a case were the remedy is worst than the disease. The original idea is that we have to be creative with the 10th site. Land is scarce, and most likely, we cannot provide the same facility than other school within the district. People are not happy about being moved from their school (with good reason I feel) Solution: provide an inspiring project. May be an immersion program, or a more academic program, or maybe a program to help english learner from K-3. If we don't innovate with a more flexible program, we might just need to redraw the boundaries every 5-7 years. Nobody can foresee the future, but you can build flexibility.
Mitch Caldwell April 11, 2013 at 11:36 pm
Maybe offering a magnet school could help with stability? It can balance out enrollment at otherRead More schools so that attendance boundaries do not have to be redrawn. Isn't the charter school doing that for the LASD district right now?
mtnview_parent April 11, 2013 at 10:36 pm
I saw you had a good discussion on the definition of a neighborhood school. But beyond theRead More definitions, I would like to ask why does palo Alto school District and Cupertino School district have a mix of neighborhood school and some choice school. Those are two high performing district right next to us. Can a choice school be an excellent way to stop the highly disruptive attendance boundary change ? People say I am for statu quo, that I am against change. I feel that family and children need stability, that is why we don't change spouse at the pace the BoT change the attendance boundary. People who want some stability at home (and their school) do make a reasonable request.