Planning Commissioner Mark Tiernan Announces Run for City Council

Milpitas Planning Commissioner Mark Tiernan has announced his intention to run for City Council in the 2012 election.

"After a great deal of reflection and encouragement from family and friends, I have decided to run for the Milpitas City Council," Tiernan said in a press release distributed to media last week and posted on his official campaign website, MarkTiernan.com. "Like you, I am concerned about the future of our community and the quality of life in our neighborhoods.”

Tiernan's website lists Santa Clara County Supervisor Dave Cortese, City of Milpitas Vice-Mayor Pete McHugh, and Milpitas Planning Commissioners Sudhir Mandal, Zeya Mohsin, John Luk and Gurdev Sandhu among his supporters.

Tiernan has been a resident of Milpitas since 2002, and has been involved with many community organizations such as the Milpitas Rotary Club, the Milpitas Historical Society and the Milpitas-based nonprofit, Family Giving Tree. He is currently president-elect of the Rotary Club.

Tiernan's company, Mark Tiernan Communications, is a political and public policy consulting firm.

On his website, Tiernan lists a number of issues that he feels strongly about and that he indicates will be central to his campaign for City Council.

Tiernan suggests that in light of drastic cuts to education in California, the City of Milpitas should form strategic and financial partnerships with local high-tech companies to offer after-school programs that could expand upon what today's schools can afford to offer students.

Tiernan also indicates he would like to see move out of Milpitas.

"It is time for Milpitas to stand up and stop being the dumping ground for violent criminal offenders, child abusers, and drug pushers," he says on his website. "The Elmwood county jail is located across the street from some of our most desirable residential neighborhoods. Enough is enough - we have done our time."

Other issues Tiernan says he will focus on include traffic, preserving parks and open spaces, business retention and job development and the City budget.

Tiernan was appointed to the Milpitas Planning Commission in 2010. In January 2011, when the previous chairman, Cliff Williams, left.

However, in July, when it was time for a new chairperson, Tiernan lost to current chairman, Sudhir Mandal. Tiernan's term on the commission has one year left and expires in December, 2012.

However, it's possible Tiernan's term may end before then. On the agenda for tonight's City Council meeting is a call by Mayor Jose Esteves to have Tiernan removed from his position on the Planning Commission. It will require a vote.

From the agenda:

"Mayor Esteves reports that Commissioner Tiernan provided an inappropriate statement to a local newspaper. Commissioners should be held to a high standard with respect to accuracy of information given out. Therefore, he is recommending removal of the Commissioner. Councilmembers are referred to the Milpitas Municipal Code I-500-1.04, which provides that  'any or all members of the Planning Commission may be removed from office prior to the expiration of the normal term of office, without cause, upon an affirmative vote of three City Councilmembers, at a regular meeting of the City Council.'”