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Council fills two Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee seats, opts for mix of incumbency and new members
Summary
After interviews and deliberation the Council appointed Tony Garza and Mike Strasser to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee; council discussion emphasized spreading volunteer opportunities while also valuing institutional knowledge.
The Corte Madera Town Council appointed Tony Garza and Mike Strasser to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) following interviews with three applicants.
Incumbent David McPherson described 16 years on BPAC and emphasized the committee's advisory role to Public Works. Tony Garza and Mike Strasser each described professional or volunteer experience related to the built environment, accessibility and cycling; Garza noted architecture and accessibility work and said he is a current BPAC member; Strasser described engineering, bike-team experience and prior work teaching bicycle safety to children.
Council members debated whether to retain incumbents for institutional knowledge or open seats to newer applicants to broaden volunteer engagement. One council member argued for retaining incumbents to preserve continuity, while others urged giving new volunteers an opportunity to serve. The first motion to reappoint incumbents failed; a subsequent motion to appoint Tony Garza and Mike Strasser carried on roll call 3-2 (Andrews: yes; Beckman: no; Casiza: no; Vice Mayor Thomas: yes; Mayor Ravasio: yes).
Why it matters: BPAC advises the Department of Public Works and the council on bike/pedestrian safety, projects and grant opportunities; the committee will help guide local project priorities such as multiuse-path maintenance and larger projects like the Alto Tunnel, which requires outside funding.
The council asked applicants about grant funding risks, long-range projects and attendance; appointees confirmed they could meet the committee's attendance expectations.
