Coming Face-to-Face

In spite of the communication innovations that come with being a socially connected world, there is a richness and depth that occurs when people come face-to-face with one another (and which cannot be substituted, no matter how active you are on facebook!)

This coming Tuesday, Sept. 22, from 7:00-9:00pm, the Brisbane Chamber of Commerce and the League of Women Voters of North and Central San Mateo County will be sponsoring a City Council Candidate Forum, where the community will be given the opportunity to come face-to-face to dialogue with the five candidates running for three open City Council seats. The November 3rd election will determine which three of the five candidates will serve Brisbane for a four-year term.

Candidates are listed alphabetically, not in the order they will appear on the ballot:

• Michael G. Barnes, Incumbent


• W. Clarke Conway, Incumbent


• Clifford R. Lentz, Planning Commissioner


• Emile Manara, Retired Special Agent, D.E.A.


• Mayor A. Sepi Richardson, School Business Consultant and Incumbent

Click here to read their individual candidates statements.

Take advantage of this unique opportunity to come face-to-face with the those that have the potential to be your city's decision-makers. The event will be held at City Hall in the Community Meeting Room, located at 50 Park Place in Brisbane.

Also taking place in the new Community Meeting Room will be the first City Council meeting since the end of July. This occurs the day before Candidates' Night, on Monday the 21st. For a look at what's on the agenda, please click here. The meeting will begin at 7:30pm.

If circumstances prevent you from joining in-person, do not fret. The two events will also be televised on Channel 27. And if you don't have Comcast, log on here to view a live stream. (Watch for replays of the City Council Candidate Forum between Sept. 22nd and the Nov. 3rd election).

Don't forget, this Saturday marks the City's annual Lagoon Clean-Up Day, which coincides with the worldwide Coastal Clean-Up Day - the largest volunteer event on the planet. Let's show them how it's done: bring your family and friends to Fisherman's Park next to the Lagoon at 9:00am on Saturday to help remove garbage and debris from the shoreline around the Lagoon. Plan to wear work clothes, and bring gloves and sunscreen to assist with the work day, which will conclude at 12 noon with a barbecue. We appreciate your willingness, and your dedicated volunteerism - because there's no telling what can happen when we join efforts, and come face-to-face!