When Bill Sandke decided to run for Coronado City Council in 2014, the most important vote was his wife Tami’s, and now that he has decided to run again, she was the first name on his petition. The things that he thought he would dread the most have become the things he most cherishes, like answering questions from people at Vons or on the street. “I find joy in helping people understand government.”
He has learned that “Every community voice is important. The sense of community in Coronado is unique. It’s something that old timers understand and new people quickly accept and lean in to.”
When he ran the first time, he had been mulling it over for 30 years as a business owner and resident. “I feel a responsibility to preserve our Coronado story and I am honored that the community voted and supported me previously and I hope they will do so again.”
He has a proven commitment to the community with organizational involvement, from youth soccer coach to Planning Commissioner, from Parade and Telethon host to Christ Church youth leader, from leadership positions at the Coronado Yacht Club and Rotary to the Business Advisory Council.
His goal is to show people that he is in it for the long term, with the right viewpoint of working for and with the voters. He fully supports institutions like the Historical Society, which are the glue that preserves the history of Coronado.
Delving into his background, we find that after graduating from UCLA with a Political Science degree, he thought the world would come calling, but no jobs materialized. Having worked in the photo lab in college, he regrouped and specialized in photography, purchasing a studio in the Crown Shops at 10th & C in 1987. Currently resident photographer at the Hotel del, the majority of his work is for family pictures and corporate events. He still offers good old fashioned pick-up and delivery for long-time clients.
“I want to keep our community demographic with a sense of timelessness. While many things have changed, many intangibles have stayed the same. Coronado is still a great place to raise kids with a rhythm all its own with a different pace of lifestyle.”
Growing up here, he still remembers taking the car ferry on elementary school field trips to San Diego, where the smell of oil and wood mixed. He carries on that tradition by taking the ferry to meetings in San Diego.
He reminisces about past ideas like if the bridge to base tunnel plan would have gone through, completion would have been done this year, and impacted the quality of life with less bridge traffic. He has many memories since his dad bought their family home here in 1966.
What are your thoughts on:
Social Media
“I thought that answering questions would be frustrating, but one of the biggest surprises has been that I enjoy explaining governmental issues to people. I get personal joy from helping them understand our city, both in person and via email.”
He has been disappointed in the tone and discussion of some of the issues, which often get hijacked by a few people without all the facts. “I see Facebook like an echo chamber, not being entirely accurate, the inaccuracies are repeated; but I believe it is an important tool in democracy.” To combat some of the misconceptions, the city has created a “Fact or Fiction” page on their website.
Views on Downtown Business Development
In the mid 80s, the Business Advisory Commission (BAC) created a Title 88, Orange Ave Corridor specific plan with restrictions to keep Coronado intact. It doesn’t restrict private property, but helps protect our town to help keep its original charm. “It’s important to realize that businesses changes over time, and the city has a limited, but important role.”
Weigh in on Beach Sewage Issues
“We all support that keeping beaches clean is vitally important. We owe it to the residents to engage regionally and nationally. I am proud of our city’s efforts. I have personally talked to Mexican and American senators, lobbied congressional delegates, and taken trips to Washington D.C on this immeasurable quality of life issue. We need to do everything possible to effect change. We are working to build bridges with federal, state, local and Mexican entities.”
Traffic Issues
“I will admit that I came in critical of Caltrans and felt the city would be better off in charge of their own roads. After publicly criticizing them, I attended a meeting where the District 11 Director was there and I apologized, commenting ‘I’m learning on the job as I go and it’s better to work together,’ so my attitude was changed and we are making great inroads with Caltrans.”
What are Your Favorite Books/Hobbies
“I especially enjoy books highlighting history, Coronado authors, and spy novels where I can learn and be entertained.” Some favorites include: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, a previous Coronado Community Read selection, Radium Girls, John le Carre’ spy novels, and Jennifer Franks historical fiction books.” Sandke also loves reading The Economist for its dynamic British writing style and variety of topics.
He enjoys spending time with his wife Tami, who is the incoming Rotary president. They are the first husband/wife presidents; he was Rotary President in 2006. He also relishes time with his two college-age daughters.
As the only incumbent running, why should voters vote for you?
“I have experience and a strong connection to the community, which has been proven over my lifetime. I have championed a variety of causes while on the City Council including: underground utilities, making Coronado safer by taking control of streets from Caltrans, working with the Coastal Commission on Sea Level Rise, participating in a variety of committees with SANDAG, including Vice Chair of the Transportation Committee, MTS Board, SAFE funding, and more. It’s important to have a strong bi-national economy and for Coronado to have a regional presence in key arenas. There’s lots to be proud of and still lots more to accomplish.”
What does a month in the life of a City Council member look like?
“It’s filled with City Council meetings, auxiliary committee meetings, Chamber of Commerce events, Business Ribbon Cuttings and a myriad of communication issues. “Responding to constituents is almost a full-time job. I sometimes wonder how we survived in the old days of voice mail. I’ve almost created a monster with my rapid responses, but I feel that if people are motivated to send questions, then they deserve to be acknowledged.”
Visit his Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/billforcouncil2018/
