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Community Corner

Man who led road-improvement ballot drive to get award

Gage Houser, who spearheaded the Measure D campaign to improve roads and other infrastructure, will receive a Silver Award.

It will be presented at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 8 at the San Anselmo Town Council meeting.

Houser, since November’s election, often gets asked, “When is my street gong to get fixed? It’s in bad shape.”

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His response?

“I preach patience. We have to wait for the taxes to come in, and projects have to be planned.”

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After all, he indicates, although the ballot measure does call for an influx of money from its half-cent local sales tax increase, it’ll be spread over a two-decade timeframe.

Mayor Tom McInerny, who nominated Houser for the Quality of Life Commission award, notes, however, that “because of his energy and leadership, Measure D passed with nearly 70 percent of the vote — and will be instrumental in generating over $500,000 a year for 20 years, improving our roads and other important projects throughout the town.”

During the four-month pre-election drive, the chair of Renew San Anselmo, a Committee for Measure D averaged more than a dozen volunteer hours a week, close to 250 all told.

He says, about being the driving force for a grassroots effort, “I was definitely nervous when I took on the responsibility, but I was fortunate about everyone around me having a positive demeanor. It became a satisfying experience from start to finish.”

Houser didn’t need to recruit most of the committee’s eight members. “People approached me. They knew how bad the roads were.”

The biggest election problem he faced? “Getting the message out.”

Obviously he succeeded.

It helped, he says, being at Country Fair Day, “though we weren’t the hottest booth in town. But as the day wore on, more and more people stopped by.”

It helped, too, that “no major mistakes were made. We had no flyers that said Town of Larkspur.”

Committee meetings, he recalled fondly, were held in his basement, around a pop-up table, “very makeshift — some sat in my kids’ chairs — and we had to be quiet because the kids were going to sleep upstairs.”

Vice president and portfolio manager for Hutchinson Capital Management, he credits Jeff Kroot, a neighbor, friend and ex-mayor, with inspiring him. “I saw his involvement in the town and saw how rewarding it was for him,” explains Houser, whose volunteerism began with his joining the Financial Advisory Committee in 2012.

“With my background in finance, it was an obvious fit for me.”

The committee reviewed data gathered from a town survey, and found that one of the main community goals was fixing up the roads. The review led to Measure D.

Passage of that measure, Houser adds modestly, “was a real group effort, with me standing on the shoulders of others.”

Houser will become the 33rd Silver Award winner.

Previous recipients were Merrilee England, Jack Weinstein, Dorothy Walters, Joy Snyder, Joey Epstein, Shirley Paradiso, Bonnie Carson, Ted Freeman, Sue McDowell, Phyllis Ostrander, Carla Overberger, Judy Coy, Kathy Thornton, Dick Stutsman, Nancy Vernon, Barbara Dwyer, Peter Penhallow, the husband-and-wife team of Teri and Alex Rockas, Eli Welber and Steve Lee, Grace Komo, Ben Burtt, Royce Truex and Jo Gross, Michael Schwab, Deborah Cichocki, Kay Peacock, Frank Ortiz, Tom Boss, the husband-wife team of Patricia and Chuck Swensen, Bill Abright, Cynnie Barrows, Marilyn Girodo, Sophia Spencer hand Dollie Frauens.

The broad-based Silver Awards and the environmentally oriented Green Awards are presented in alternate months.

Nominations for either can be hand-delivered or mailed to: Quality of Life Commission, c/o Town of San Anselmo, 525 San Anselmo Ave., or e-mailed to voodee@sbcglobal.net or townnclerk@ci.san-anselmo.ca.us.

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