Serving as a San Carlos City council member, and currently as Vice Mayor, Matt has kept three primary issues foremost in his mind: to keep people informed, to listen to their ideas and concerns, to have our city government operate in the most transparent and ethical manner possible.

Keep People Informed

When a new smoking ordinance was set to be discussed at an upcoming council meeting, Matt considered the effect it might have on certain businesses. He walked into the Orchid Room one afternoon and asked the management if they were aware of the pending ordinance; they were not.

The owners of the Orchid Room spoke to neighboring businesses and shared with them the information. The night of the ordinance's hearing, these same business owners and managers came to the City Council meeting. They spoke convincingly of the negative impacts the law would have on their businesses and the down town environment. The ordinance passed, but not without changes that mitigated the businesses' concerns.

This is but one example where Matt has endeavored to keep people informed.

Listen to Ideas and Concerns

After the El Camino median was installed, businesses in the area experienced an immediate decline in sales. The El Camino Merchants Association (ECMA) approached Matt with the problem. He listened to their assertions, was convinced they were right, then went to work with the ECMA and City staff to get the median re-opened at key intersections.

On another occassion, residents living along Greenwood Avenue contacted Matt because the creek behind their homes spilled over its banks every winter, causing serious flooding and property damage. Matt met with home owners in the neighborhood, saw first hand some of the damage, and then worked with them and City staff to relieve the flooding.

These are just two examples of how Matt has listened to the concerns of the community and worked to solve problems.

Transparent and Ethical Government

During his term on the Council, Matt has often been the lone voice to challenge the City's business practices.

When the Downtown Improvement Project needed a construction manager, City staff recommended the work be awarded to Mokhtari Engineering (ME), Inc. Because ME provides the City with its Public Works Director/City Engineer, Matt saw this as a conflict of interest and opposed the arrangement.*

Later, when a construction manager was needed for the Industrial Road Improvement Project, the City solicited proposals from a number of firms; included was Mokhtari Engineering. Because ME had been involved in formulating the list of invitees and in preparing the bid documents, Matt saw this, also, as a conflict of interest.* He opposed the process and, ultimately, awarding the contract to Mokhtari Engineering.

Finally, through Matt's diligence, study and inquiry, it was discovered that the City had paid, through an arrangement made between the City Manager and Mokhtari Engineering, $43, 080 in 02/03; $60,080 in 03/04 and $77,280 in 04/05; for "Outreach Coordinator" services on SCOOT. City Municipal Code requires a contract, approved by the Council, for amounts in excess of $20,000. (Recent Municipal Code change has increased the amount to $50k). Matt was the only council member to be concerned with the alleged violations of the Municipal Code.

These are three examples of how Matt has highlighted shortfalls in the City's manner of doing business. Please go to the tab on the FUTURE and read how Matt plans to address this last problem.

*The San Mateo Civil Grand Jury agreed with Council Member Grocott that these situations involved a conflict of interest.