Mayor Tate with City Council membrs Rich Constantine, Larry Carr, Caitlin Robinett
Jachimowicz and Rene Spring.
Getting Into Government
“The results of the building boom were
apparent in Morgan Hill,” Steve said.
“Sewers were overflowing. Schools
were in double session. I was interest-
ed in land use issues and wanted to get
involved. I became known as a ‘slow
growther.’ After four years I got a spot
on the City Planning Commission.”
Steve served on the commission
from 1991 through 1998 while
working at IBM. He led two campaigns
to extend the Redevelopment
Authority—the second was successful.
It not only paid for the Community &
Cultural Center, Centennial Recreation
Center, and Aquatics Center, but
also partially financed Morgan Hill’s
new library and the construction of
Butterfield Boulevard.
“I’d never thought about becoming
a politician,” he said, “but after seven
years on the commission, making
recommendations to City Council, I
thought it’d be even better to be on
the council and have the final say!”
Steve won a seat and served on the
Morgan Hill City Council from 1999
to 2004 while still working at IBM.
During those years, Dennis Kennedy,
a former IBM engineer, served as
Morgan Hill’s mayor.
48
City Managers Weigh In
Former City Manager Ed Tewes said
that hearing Steve talk about restoring
respect, civility, and progress to city
government influenced his decision to
go to work for Morgan Hill.
“He sought to involve everyone in
the life and future of the community.
I saw him as an independent thinker
who could always clearly articulate his
justification for controversial votes,
even when in the minority.”
According to Steve Rymer, also
a former City Manager, “We were
fortunate Steve was in the position of
mayor to guide us in satisfying the state
and county demands of the RDA settle-
ment while protecting our community’s
best interests.”
“He also championed our work
to establish community recreation
programs for youth, families, and
seniors. Steve has never been just the
mayor. He’s a very caring person and
it comes through in his decisions
and actions.”
Morgan Hill’s current City Manager,
Christina Turner, first worked with
Mayor Tate while she was employed by
the City of Gilroy and they were both
serving on the South County Youth
Gang Taskforce.
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
december 2018-january 2019
“Mayor Tate is no armchair mayor,”
Christina said. “He has spent an
extraordinary amount of time on city
business and been very present at City
Hall, in the community, and at meetings
with stakeholders at regional and state
levels to advocate for Morgan Hill and
South County.”
“He has this amazing institutional
knowledge and a very sharp memory,
which make him a great resource.”
“He’s worked closely with city staff,
the school district, law enforcement,
the Chamber of Commerce and other
organizations to maximize efforts on
issues like economic development,
school construction projects, and
public safety.”
“The Mayor has been a consensus
builder when it comes to the RDCS,
which has been in place since 1978.
Never one to resist change, he’s been
open to finding better and more
efficient ways of doing things. Our
adoption of clean renewable energy and
water conservation initiatives are great
examples of this.”
Reason, Ethics and
Leadership in Action
Greg Sellers said when he and Steve
were running for City Council in
1998, “the council had been struggling
with controversy and turmoil. In
the community there was a sense of,
enough is enough. With his reputation
as a reasoned, respected leader on
the Planning Commission, Steve was
favored to win. People saw me as the
new guy and said, ‘Good to see you
involved, maybe next time.’”
“Steve has always said, ‘Whatever is
best for Morgan Hill, regardless of your
point of view. It’s our job to make sure
the community benefits,’” Greg said.
“Folks take for granted how smoothly
things have gone; not because everyone
is marching in lockstep, but due to the
consistent, strong leadership our city
has enjoyed while he’s been in office.
His way of thinking and leading is par-
ticularly important in this day and age.”
As Morgan Hill’s Communications
and Engagement Manager, Maureen
Tobin works at the intersection of city
staff, city council, and the community.
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