How Can the Midcoast Community Council Best Serve You?

By April A. Vargas

I will help the MCC give our community a strong voice.

The Midcoast Community Council was established in 1991 by the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors. The Council was created to serve several purposes, as set forth in its Bylaws. Key among these are:

To provide the Community with a more effective means to express its views to the County of San Mateo and other governmental agencies..

To contribute to the Community's awareness of issues of public import by providing a forum for discussions and sponsoring meetings which will contribute to the general welfare, knowledge and awareness of the Community...

To assist the Community in developing and expressing a long-range vision of the Community which meets the desires of its residents for an improved quality of life, protection of the environment and sound economic planning...

To seek to preserve the rural, small-town character of the Community by protecting the existence of agricultural lands, supporting the retention of a Greenbelt around urban areas of the County, maintaining the coastal protections afforded by the County Local Coastal Plan and Measure A, and seeking to control growth in a manner which is consistent with the present character of the Community.

With focused and effective leadership, the Midcoast Community Council can give residents a strong, credible voice in the decisions which affect us. As a liason between local citizens and government officials, the Council can clarify issues of concern while aiding in the creation of appropriate policies. The Council can serve as a unifiying force which educates its constituents and encourages them to act in the community's best interest.

If I am elected to the Midcoast Community Council, I will provide the organizational and interpersonal skills necessary to support and promote the Council's founding principles. My involvement with the successful Tunnel and Open Space ballot initiatives (Measures T and F) has increased my respect for Coastside residents, without whose intelligence, enthusiasm and commitment these victories could not have been won. I have learned about the value of teamwork and the power of a shared vision.

Through my work with regional political organizations, I have broadened my understanding of countywide issues and brought Coastside concerns to the attention of decision-makers outside of our community. Over time I have become acquainted with many of our Federal, State and County representatives and I am pleased that a number of them have endorsed my candidacy. I have also been active with regional environmental groups, advocating for coastal protection and the preservation of agricultural and undeveloped lands.

I have spent many years on the Coastside, meeting local residents and sharing common concerns. I have joined with this community in the creation of a grassroots movement which has had ongoing and far-reaching effects. I want to continue to contribute my experience, my energy and my optimism as your elected representative on the Midcoast Community Council. Residents are best served when their voices are clearly heard.