City of Los Altos: 

Planning Commissioner (2016 - 2020)

Design Review Commissioner (2012 - 2016)

Career:

Retired pharmaceutical / biotechnology marketing executive responsible for developing, leading and implementing global commercialization strategies for biopharmaceuticals across all phases of research and development.  Served in positions of increasing seniority for 25 years including at Roche Pharmaceuticals, Scios Inc., Syntex and SRI International. 

Community: 

El Camino Hospital Community Advisory Council (2010 - 2012)

Mentor Tutor Connection (2010 - present)

·      Board of Directors (2011 - 2018) and President

·      Mentor to high school students

Los Altos Rotary Club (2011 - present) 

·      Board of Directors, Youth Services Director (2016 - 2018)

Los Altos Women’s Caucus (2018 - present)

Civilian ex-POWs (CPOW), a Chapter of American ex-Prisoners of War (AXPOW)

·      Board of Directors (2018 - present) and Board Chair

Education: 

MBA, San Jose State University

BS Chemistry, University of Maryland, College Park 

My family and I moved to Los Altos 25 years ago. My husband Walter and I raised our two sons here. Our appreciation for the quality education, diversity, open space and small-town feeling led me to become active in improving the quality of life for residents.

In the early years I was a member of the Neutra House Historic Relocation and Preservation committee, Neighborhood Watch Captain, Board member and mediator for Los Altos Dispute Resolution Service, and Education chair for the Los Altos/Mountain View League of Women Voters.

I have a B.S. in Organizational Behavior from the University of San Francisco.

I am proud to call Los Altos my home since 2009 where I live with my wife, our two young children, our dog, and four chickens.  I am a Bay Area native, where I have lived most of my life.

Professionally I am an attorney who graduated from Hastings College of the Law in 2001.  My areas of specialty are real estate law and trust/probate law.

In 2015, I applied to be a city commissioner to serve my fellow residents and give back to my community.  I am currently a member of the Los Altos Parks and Recreation Commission, where I previously served as both the commission’s chair and vice-chair.

I am a member of the Hillview Community Center Design Development Working Group, where I collaborate with other civic leaders to give input on the design and materials used on both the interior and exterior of our brand-new community center.  All of the members of the Working Group understand the important role we play as the voice of the residents who will use and enjoy the new Community Center for decades to come.  A spirit of cooperation, willingness to listen and understand, and a sense of collegiality all play a part in the success of the Working Group.

I enjoy traveling with my family, watching sports (baseball is my favorite), and being of service to my community.

My political philosophy is centered on the principle that political leaders have an obligation to be honest and transparent to their constituents.  As a member of the City Council, I will listen to residents, businesses, and property owners to build consensus.  I will be honest with our City’s stakeholders by explaining legal and budgetary constraints while working toward solutions that benefit the entire city.

I am a decision maker who is data driven but also tempered by compassion and empathy.  A lack of data does not necessarily mean that there is no problem to address.  Political leaders must examine issues from all points of view and analyze the pros and cons of a proposed course of action.

Political leaders must work collaboratively toward finding and implementing wise solutions to problems, and strategies to overcome challenges.  Through my leadership experience and professional training, I know how to treat my colleagues, our City’s residents, and other stakeholders with respect and integrity.

Los Altos is a fantastic city.

I’m proud to call Los Altos my home.  My family and I have lived here since 2009.  The City offers its residents wonderful resources, from the beautiful fields at Grant Park to the new community center under construction at Hillview.  Our City has senior centers, sports fields, undeveloped open space, public art, a lovely downtown, local museums and libraries.

Los Altos needs wise leadership. Wise leaders identify challenges; solicit input from residents, city commissioners, professional staff, experts, and other stakeholders; and develop a strategy to achieve the best outcome possible for the entire City today and in the future. 

The citizens of Los Altos have a right to know that our elected representatives are setting priorities and making decisions through a fair process that is data-driven, tempered by empathy, is legal, and takes into account the needs and desires of our entire community.

As a representative on the City Council, I will approach the challenges facing Los Altos with integrity, honesty and commitment.  I will meet new pandemic challenges with leadership and empathy – strengthening economic programs; expanding the connection between volunteers and seniors; addressing mental health for youth and others in need. 

My Priorities for Los Altos

• Fiscal Responsibility: Prioritize spending on public safety, infrastructure and civic life while addressing economic uncertainty and potential legal liabilities.

• Environment and Emergency Preparedness: Prepare the community for natural and human-made disasters, and invest in infrastructure and programs to fight climate change.

• Social Justice: Fund the police department to keep us safe but hold the police accountable.

• Parks and City Facilities: Protect, improve and look for opportunities to expand parks, open spaces and community facilities and programs.

• Safe Streets and Mobility: Make our streets safe for residents of all ages to walk and bike by maintaining our roads and implementing traffic calming.

• Housing: Adopt and follow clear and objective development standards, and make good faith efforts to provide legally-required affordable housing.

• Local Businesses: Support Los Altos’ small business community to protect jobs and to provide needed services for residents.

I am Scott Spielman and am running for Los Altos City Council. Today our wonderful small city stands at the crossroads.

We face some significant challenges:

            The COVID 19 pandemic has significantly impacted our local businesses and our city revenues.

            Los Altos spends hundreds of thousands of dollars on consultant studies that never are used – this is financial waste and it is irresponsible.

            The city struggles to get results. We are known as a city of analysis – paralysis.

            The state of California is passing housing bills that will materially impact the quality of life in our city.

            Our city lacks transparency and accountability.

            Traffic is becoming an ever increasing problem.

            Too many constituents feel neglected or not listened to- seniors, youth, residents and small businesses all have a similar complaint – their voices are not heard.

            A few well connected people are trying to force the construction of Bocce Ball courts at Grant Park against the will of the overwhelming majority of residents and before a master plan – that staff recommends is completed.

I have the unique skills to help solve these problems and fight for our city.

I have broad experience: in engineering, business and working with people

For example, as a structural engineer, I was responsible for on-site engineering during a major remodel of Baltimore Washington International airport.

I was the lead engineer working with the heads of transportation authorities in Boston and the governor’s office in Mass to extend a rapid transit line in Boston

Much of my marketing and sales experience was assessing customer needs and communicating those needs to engineering staff and convincing customers of the value of our solutions.

I started a church and have ministered to people of all ages and stages and walks of life.

Also, I have done a wide range of volunteer work: was a distinguished president and board member of a service club - Kiwanis, and youth sports coach for 15 years. I developed and conducted a teacher award program for school teachers in Los Altos and Mountain View schools for 6 years and was recognized by the .MVLA school district as a friend of the district.

As vice-chair and commissioner of the Parks and Recreation Commission, I was largely responsible for an assessment of dog parks for a report to the city council. Largely through my efforts, this issue that was discussed within our city – and finally got traction and now will go before city council. This was a year-long process but has been a city issue for over 10 years

What I will bring:

I will bring experience, leadership, teamwork and a results orientation to city council

I am a team builder. I have built teams wherever I have been. City council needs better cooperation and collegiality. I will bring that.

I am a person that believes finances are important. The city needs more attention to its financial reports and the timeliness of those reports. We are taking out a $14 million loan and are financial reports are 2 quarters late. We have lost around $16 million in our investment portfolio. I will make finances a priority.

I am a person who gets results. That also is my track record. I have started new programs and started a church. And I get results working with people. Our city does quality studies but needs to turn those studies into actions.

What my focus will be:

I will focus on priorities. We need to budget to priorities and manage to them and be accountable to our city to accomplish them. My philosophy is to focus and do the most important things well.

We need to find ways to encourage affordable housing. This is one of the most challenging needs of this area. We need to explore areas that could support affordable housing such as the El Camino corridor and downtown, while protecting the privacy of single family residents

We need to foster business recovery – planning with our businesses to help them weather this pandemic by working with the different business interests – retailers, restaurants, service providers, fitness centers, etc.  in a cooperative and supportive way.

Our city needs new and better ways to engage residents. I will meet with neighborhood groups every year to understand their needs, and ask for their opinions on subjects important to them

Thank you for your consideration.

Listen to all constituents. Not just pay lip service but truly listen to understand. Seek the inputs of the people will are affected or will be affected by every decision.

Be prepared. Study the items and come ready to discuss the issues before council.

Make the best decisions for the most people.

Be a team player - work with other council members, staff and commissions.

Manage resources effectively. Set clear priorities, budget to them. Do timely financial reviews.