Marie Gilmore Mayor, Alameda California Interview

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GilmoreMarie Gilmore Mayor, Alameda California Interview

Marie Gilmore made history when she was elected the first African American Mayor of Alameda, California in 2010. Mayor Gilmore (who’s husband is ESPN Football Announcer Ron Gilmore) was also the first black city councilperson in Alameda’s history, becoming that in 2004. Both speak to Alameda’s advancing, progressive, and diverse population, one that went from just over 56 percent white in 2000, to 50 percent in 2010, while adding African Americans such that six percent of the population in 2010 was black, versus less than one percent in 2000.

All of that change fueled Marie Gilmore’s rise to lead Alameda. But we didn’t meet to talk about that, but about her accomplishments as Mayor. In fact, that race wasn’t the dominant topic in our talk is reflective of how far Bay Area politics have advanced. Consider that no black person has ever held a seat on any board or commission in Fayette County, Georgia, and that’s true to this day, as one example of where Alameda and the SF Bay Area is with respect to the rest of the country. But, again, we looked at Marie Gilmore’s accomplishments, and not that racial history.

We did this, while her cute doggie Fergie sat, sleeping, next to us.

Mayor Gilmore credits her staff, including City Manager John Russo, and the Alameda City Council, and the Alameda Community, for the accomplishment of the no-cost conveyance of land and starting of developer selection process for Alameda Point, the former Alameda Neval Air Station. She then points to the stabilization of Alameda City Hall leadership with the selection of Russo to a five-year contract and after years of seeing the city manager position act as a kind of revolving door, with “seven flavors of interim, acting, city manager,” as Mayor Gilmore put it.

Another accomplishment was Alameda Public Safety labor peace after years of what she called “war.” They could not sit down and negotiate a contact; not so anymore. “They will be paying 15 percent toward their retirement, and one of the highest contribution rates in the County, and we’re really proud of that.”

“we have managed to avoid cutting after school programs, even during a difficult financial period,” the Mayor reports. And there’s more in an interview that’s 19 minutes long.

America’s Cup In Alameda?

Mayor Gilmore says that they have pursued having the next America’s Cup race in Alameda, but nothing has been finalized to this date. “We have to have a better idea of where BMW Oracle Racing is in deciding where they want the Cup to be.”

Please watch and if your an Alamedan, vote to re-elect Marie Gilmore as Mayor of Alameda.

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