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Small-Business Owner Don Gilman Announces Bid for Goleta Council

Calling himself a 'voice of reason,' the candidate says he would bring new energy and ideas to the council.

By Sonia Fernandez, Noozhawk Staff Writer | Published on 07.10.2008

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Business owner Don Gilman, with two of his three children, spreads the word Thursday about his candidacy for the Goleta City Council. (Sonia Fernandez / Noozhawk photo)

Don Gilman, a small-business owner and longtime Goleta resident, officially announced his candidacy for the City Council on Thursday, casting himself as a “voice of reason.”

“I believe we have made some significant progress as a city in the last few years, and I also think we are in better shape than some of our neighboring cities,” Gilman said at his campaign kickoff rally at the public parking lot across from Ellwood School. “But I also think now we are in need in the City Council of some new energy and some new ideas.”

Gilman, an engineer, business consultant and father of three, was involved in the drive to preserve the Ellwood Bluffs. He is active in the Fields Forever 2 campaign, an effort to replace with synthetic turf a much-used soccer field at Girsh Park to keep it usable year-round and lower the park’s maintenance costs.

“We’re a 6-year-old city, and in many ways we’re facing the challenges that a startup faces,” said Gilman, relating it to his business experience. “We’re trying to develop a brand for ourselves, we’re trying to develop a comprehensive strategy for our future.”

Gilman, endorsed by Goleta Mayor Michael Bennett and council members Jean Blois and Eric Onnen, cited the city’s onerous revenue neutrality agreement with Santa Barbara County, a “lopsided and illegal” General Plan and the city’s impending budget deficit as top issues that need to be resolved, promising to step into the divide between what have become Goleta’s political extremes: aggressive development vs. minimal growth.

Among other things, Gilman says he will bring to the city better relationships with UCSB in terms of local business opportunities and the university’s development plans.

In terms of development in general and Bishop Ranch in particular, Gilman said he “will have to be convinced” of the need for more housing beyond the state’s mandated quota before fully supporting more development.

As far as the city’s upcoming negative budget cycle, Gilman pointed out that after the three years of projected deficiencies, the surplus that would occur when the revenue neutrality agreement backs off on some of its terms could cover the deficits.

“I think we can address the budget very easily. ... I think there are ways that we don’t utilize as a city right now for increasing revenue without putting the burden on the backs of our citizens.”

So far, Gilman is the only new candidate officially running for one of the two council seats up for election in November. Blois is seeking re-election while Councilwoman Jonny Wallis reportedly will not run again.

Former Goleta Councilwoman Margaret Connell and Goleta Planning Commissioner Ed Easton are said to be running as well, although their candidacies are not official.

Noozhawk staff writer Sonia Fernandez can be reached at sfernandez@noozhawk.com.

Comments

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» A Great New Opportunity on 07.11.08 @ 12:31 AM

The City of Goleta would be “lucky” to get a guy like Don. With his incredible back ground of running businesses, strategic mindset when it comes to planning and the family values that he brings to the table makes him a “slam dunk” for a City Council position.

Steve Woodward