My first year in office has now come and gone and although I feel infinitely more comfortable with my job as your elected servant, I know all too well that there is still much to learn. It’s sort of like the more you learn the more you realize how much you’ve yet to learn.
Some of my accomplishments in this first year have been to learn to listen to the opinion of the City staff, my fellow Council Members, and to our community. But I still take an independent look at all facets of an issue and perform my own research before making decisions.
I’ve learned that in depth study of the issues that come before us is crucial in knowing which option is in the best interest of the community. I have learned that working with my peers to achieve a compromise and remaining flexible, when possible, is sometimes necessary. Achieving part of what you believe is important for the City through compromise is sometimes better than achieving nothing.
I’ve learned the importance of meeting with you on Sundays between three and five in the afternoon in the Council Chambers. This venue has been particularly beneficial to me. Besides affording me with an opportunity to assist you and try to answer your questions it gives me a chance to ask you questions regarding your views and opinions on various local issues and concerns. This keeps me grounded by having a glimpse of what the community wants and expects of its elected servants.
I am looking forward to my second year in office with a particular interest in continuing to improve our City’s already state of the art system for emergency preparedness. I am also looking forward to helping shape City policy and provide direction for our next fiscal budget. I know it will be a difficult task knowing there is a fine line which separates fiscal responsibility in terms of what is spent out of necessity and that which is put aside for future needs.
I know that I am very grateful to you, the voters, for giving me the opportunity to be of service and to hold this office. I only hope that I am vigilant and constant in my efforts to be your servant. And because of this I have also learned there is no task or job which is too small or should be considered too insignificant to address. If it is important to those I serve then it is important to me.
Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your community life. Hopefully you will find time, if you have not already done so, to visit me on any Sunday between three and five in the afternoon at the Council Chambers. Stop by just to chat if you have the time, I look forward to meeting you. Of course, I can always be reached by email at jkiramis@fostercity.org or by telephone at (650) 349-2316 if you are not inclined to drop by.
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