HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/5/2021 Item 6a, Smith
Purrington, Teresa
From:carolyn smith <cjsmith_107@yahoo.com>
Sent:Saturday, October 2, 2021 1:50 PM
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:October 5, 2021 City Council Agenda Item #6 - Appointment of City Council
This message is from an External Source. Use caution when deciding to open attachments, click links, or respond.
Vice Mayor Stewart and Council members,
I would like to highly recommend that you appoint Mila Vujovich La-Barre to
fill the vacancy on the City Council in the event you appoint Vice-Mayor
Stewart to fill the Mayoral position.
I've known Mila for many years and have worked with her on various city
issues of mutual concern. She has a heartfelt love for the City which has
been her home for 35+ years which is demonstrated by her ongoing wide-
range involvement in our community.
Mila has attended and publicly spoken at many City Council meetings over
the years and is very knowledgeable of the City's planning and budget
processes. While we don't always agree on everything, she has always been
very respectful and appreciative of differing opinions. She is very familiar
with all the issues facing the City and could step right into the council
position with historical information and knowledge. Additionally, her
experience through her employment and on various community committees,
as well as her participation in various community groups, provides her with
a well-rounded resume that is invaluable as a council member.
Over the years while working with Mila on city issues, I've found her to be
very intelligent, open-minded, and attentive to listening to all sides of an
issue. She works extremely well as a team player, as proven by her
experience on a number of committees and groups through her employment
as a teacher and in her volunteerism in the community.
Mila has been passionate about preserving our community's valuable
resources for future generations through her work on the Sierra Club and
other climate advocacy groups. She has spoken before Council on numerous
occasions about these concerns, is well informed of the current climate
situation, and is devoted to finding ways to mitigate the current and future
consequences.
1
Mila also has deep concern for our homeless population and would be a
great asset to the council in trying to find a viable solution to this
complicated issue. She has been a dedicated advocate in various community
homeless groups and is very well acquainted with those working on this
difficult issue. She could bring a wealth of knowledge and connections to
this council regarding this problem.
Mila's work and experience with our city's younger population is
unparalleled to any other applicant which provides her with a valuable
connection to our city's student population, both high school and college
age. She communicates well with them and understands their concerns,
which is vital in making decisions that will affect them as current and future
residents of SLO.
Mila has always expressed a concern for our residential neighborhoods and
has advocated for ways to maintain peace, safety and quality of life for all
our residents--young and old alike. She understands the challenges many
residents face living in a town with a high volume of student rentals and her
varied experiences will provide her with the ability to successfully work with
all involved to help resolve those challenges.
As you can see, Mila has a diverse, well-rounded background, and varied
knowledge of city issues and operations that would give her the ability to
look at any issue and use her broad experiences to make educated
decisions. She would be a valued asset to the Council as a representative to
a diverse population like SLO and I urge you to appoint her to fill the
council vacancy.
Thank you for your consideration.
Carolyn Smith
40 year SLO City resident
2