San Juan Bautista
– Rick Edge was appointed Tuesday to replace recently deceased
Mayor Dan Reed on the City Council. Edge is a real estate agent in
Carmel and currently chairs the city’s planning commission.
San Juan Bautista – Rick Edge was appointed Tuesday to replace recently deceased Mayor Dan Reed on the City Council. Edge is a real estate agent in Carmel and currently chairs the city’s planning commission.
“I really like the idea of Planning Commissioner Edge moving up from the planning commission,” said Councilman Arturo Medina, who served as mayor at Tuesday’s meeting. “I know he’s ready for the next level.”
Edge, agriculture industry veteran Jolene Cosio and Santa Clara sheriff’s Capt. Edward Lavaerone all turned in applications to fill Reed’s seat on the council. All three candidates were interviewed by councilmembers Medina, Priscilla Hill and George Dias; Councilman Chuck Geiger was absent.
The first question was about the candidates’ thoughts on the city’s water improvement project. Earlier in the meeting, City Manager Jan McClintock said she has received verbal confirmation from the Economic Development Agency that the city’s $3.7 million grant has been approved, and that she expects to receive the final grant cover sheet soon.
“I’m glad to see it’s moving along,” Edge said. He added that he doesn’t know much about the project beyond what he’s read in local newspapers, saying, “I know enough not to trust all of that.”
The candidates were also asked about their availability to attend up to four meetings per month. Edge said he knows that there’s a serious time commitment. “That’s why I didn’t put my hat in the ring during the election,” he said.
According to his application, Edge has lived in the Mission City since 1990, and been member of the city’s planning commission since 1997. Edge also wrote that he’s worked as a newspaper reporter, a police officer and an insurance salesman.
After the interviews, the council deliberated briefly before settling on Edge.
“Rick already has great knowledge,” Dias said. “What I’m trying to say is, it’ll be a smooth transition.”
The councilmembers urged the other applicants to stay involved in city politics. Medina pointed out that now that Edge is joining the council, there’s a new opening on the planning commission.
Once the council voted, Edge was sworn in and took his seat with the other councilmembers.
Denise Cauthen-Wright, the executive director of San Juan Bautista’s chamber of commerce, said she’s happy with the decision.
“Mr. Edge is committed to seeing things get better and seeing things through,” Cauthen-Wright said. “I think the city made the right choice. I don’t know if they could have done much better than that.”
With Medina retiring and Geiger having been defeated in the Nov. 7 election, more changes are on the way for the City Council. Their seats will be taken by election winners Jeffrey Bagley, who works in the city’s public works department, and former councilman Robert Paradice.
McClintock told the Free Lance that Bagley must choose between quitting his job with the city or to stepping down from the council.
“He has to decide before he takes the oath,” McClintock said. “At that point, he loses his employment.”
Anthony Ha covers local government for the Free Lance. Reach him at (831) 637-5566 ext. 330 or
ah*@fr***********.com
.
