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Five File for City Council Seats

John VanLandingham
Connection Staff
September 2007

Two newcomers are challenging three incumbent Emeryville City Council members in the November 6th election, both calling for new faces on a council where all incumbents have served at least two terms.

The candidates include challengers Thordie Ashley, long-time community volunteer, and Shilen Patel, a newcomer to Emeryville, and incumbents Ruth Atkin, Nora Davis and Ken Bukowski.

Thordie Ashley, at 84 the oldest candidate, arrived in Emeryville 22 years ago, but is no stranger to the Bay Area. The Kentucky native came of age in the Kaiser shipyards working as a riveter. After World War II ended and the shipyard closed, Ashley went back to school to become a nurse specializing in pediatrics and geriatrics.

Her experience working with seniors eventually got her a seat on the city’s Commission on Aging. Although currently confined to home with a broken hip, Ashley promises to be an active campaigner.

Ashley said she has no quarrel with any of the incumbents and counts Bukowski as a good friend who assisted her on projects relating to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

“I have worked for economic integrity and fairness in town, trying to bring attention to the plight of seniors who are being left behind because of their frailties and illnesses,” she said.

However, she said it is time for a change on the council. “We just need a person of color in fairness and equity. We have a large number of African-Americans, Vietnamese and other Asians. I don’t see why they can’t be represented on the council in some way,” she said.

Ruth Atkin, currently vice-mayor, is seeking her third term. A social worker for Contra Costa County, Atkin specializes in adult services and the aging

The native of Illinois moved to Emeryville 17 years ago and quickly got an education in the meaning of mixed-use neighborhoods. It was also the impetus for her seeking a council seat in 1999, she said.

“I bought a two-bedroom condo and I wanted the back bedroom to be my bedroom and front for my study. The first night I slept there it was so noisy, I couldn’t sleep. I had to switch the room configuration because it was so noisy. Across the street from my back window was the AC Transit bus yard. Back then it was operating a 24-hour tire shop, changing tires with power tools and also the employees’ car alarms were going off all the time,” she recalled.

Atkin said she previously lived in Oakland where her more immediate concerns were about drug dealers and safety. Development decisions at City Hall didn’t affect her. But she “…began paying more attention to development proposals after moving to Emeryville,” she said.

“The old adage you can’t fight city hall held, so I decided to join to moderate how development is done in this town,” she said of her decision to run for city council the first time.

Maybe it’s the social worker in her, she said, but Atkin is troubled by a recent city report showing more singles than families were buying homes in Emeryville, a trend she said she wants to reverse.

Atkin said she wants to continue working on revisions to the city’s general plan. “That will be very important, what this city will look like for next two decades, she said.

Ken Bukowski, a Brooklyn native has been an Emeryville resident since 1977 when he moved here to open his first business, a restaurant.

Like Davis, Bukowski said he has too many unfinished projects to leave the council just yet. And, also like Davis, he is seeking his sixth term on the council.

He called for the formation of a cooperative to serve every individual working or living in Emeryville. Not only would they get discounts on necessities, but they would get to know other residents and develop a shared investment in the city.

“It can benefit the whole city. We could have an annual event with city staff, police and firefighters. People would get to know each other and, more important, feel like they belong. Now you’re in Emeryville and you belong to something.” he said, adding he has been talking to business leaders about the co-op.

It also would have the effect of neutralizing the influence of outside groups such as EBASE (East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy), which he said has been behind much of the current Measure C controversy.

Bukowski said he started the Emeryville Chamber of Commerce because the city was dominated by the Emeryville Industries Association and the concerns of small businessmen like him were ignored.

Ultimately, feeling his business was threatened, he decided to run for city council, losing his first race in 1985 but succeeding two years later.

Nora Davis currently serves as Emeryville’s mayor. She is seeking her sixth term on the council.

A former management executive who has worked with Sparks Newspapers (now part of the Alameda News Group) and Sunvalley Mall in Concord, Davis said she is aware of the importance of business to the economy of Emeryville.

“We have to pay attention to economics and finances; there is no room for error. We have to have tax revenues coming in and utilize resources wisely and make sure we have reserves,” she said.

A native of Philadelphia, the former San Leandro resident moved to Emeryville’s Watergate complex 30 years ago. Eventually she was asked to run for city council. “I saw an opportunity to change things and help make a new city. I have had the opportunity to work with one of the finest city staffs in the state and with the people of Emeryville who really are engaged and involved. It’s been a very, very gratifying experience and I’m deeply grateful,” she said.

Asked why she shouldn’t step aside and let fresh blood serve on the council after a 20-year tenure, Davis replied she had too many things she wanted to complete before retiring. “I look to the voters to decide that. Besides my blood recycles every day.”

One project Davis wants to continue addressing aggressively is global warming. “Even though we are a small city, we are making a concerted effort on things we as a city and citizens can do to make a difference. For example, we have a climate control task force meeting to make recommendations to the council.” One example is easing residents’ ability to install solar panels on their homes and businesses by lowering permit fees, she said.

Shilen Patel, an environmental consultant who formerly worked for the city of Richmond, said he moved from San Francisco to Emeryville in July 2006. “I got married and began looking for a home. We wanted something affordable and we found a great opportunity in Emeryville.”

“There needs to be new leadership on the council. A lot of new people are moving to the city and they need to be represented on the council. I believe I represent those people,” he said.

Because he is new, Patel says he has spent a lot of time attending council and general plan review meetings. He is a member of Emery Unified School District’s Real Estate Advisory Committee.

Patel says he wants to tackle traffic issues if he is elected. He said his review of city plans showed no consideration for moving people around the one-square-mile city without cars in the future despite major population increases.

“In addition to making sure development fits the neighborhood, as a council member I would provide leadership on what is needed and how to get it accomplished. I have experience working in cities,” he said.

Patel is calling for more parks, programs to benefit small businesses, public transportation and more attention to schools. “We need to be working for our students, they are our employees of the future,” he said.

John VanLandingham is a writer for The Emeryville Connection. If you have a question or comment, please contact him at ecocnews@gmail.com