Vote for J. Michael Sodergren on June 7th

As a Candidate for San Jose City Council, I hereby pledge to the people of San Jose to represent the interests of my District and all the people in San Jose by taking specific steps to “benefit the quality of life, the environment and related economic opportunities” by meeting the Envision San Jose 2040 General Plan Goal MS -5, as authored in 2011 by then Councilperson and now Mayor San Liccardo, to “Divert 100% of waste from landfills by 2022” effectively transforming current landfill sites into environmentally neutral, neighborhood friendly, community resources. 
 

I furthermore pledge to meet the following interim goals relative to landfill and waste and recycle operations and logistics with all individuals, companies and other organizations under the jurisdiction of the City of San Jose:
 

1. Neighborhood friendly hours of operation relative to:

   1. Rest, weekend recreation, and holidays

   2. Roadway congestion, noise and other impacts

   3. Pedestrians walkway use, with a specific focus on the health and safety of our seniors, children and the disabled
       

2. Neighborhood friendly operational management of:

   1. Hazardous airborne dust and general particulates, toxic gas and odor emissions

   2. Rodents, birds and other wildlife attracted to/affected by waste processing sites

   3. Chemical and/or biological byproduct releases into waterways, lakes, percolation ponds, natural springs and aquifers, and the Bay

   4. Incidental debris outside the landfill resulting from wind, materials loss in transit, etc.
       

3. Neighborhood friendly health and safety services and infrastructure:

   1. Multipath access to all residences and business for everyday use

   2. Multipath access to all residences and business for public safety and first responders
       

I furthermore pledge that I will work with my fellow Councilmembers and the Mayor to direct code and law enforcement personnel and any supporting departments to ensure that all municipal and regional code, plus State and Federal laws relative to the operation of landfills, and related offsite activities including but not limited to the bringing of materials to and from landfills, are vigorously and evenly enforced across all operators of landfills and their employees and contractors within San Jose’s jurisdiction. 
 

I will ensure that all the people of San Jose will have access to real-time reporting of the level of compliance and community satisfaction with each landfill operator, their conveyance operators and all related parties, and that progress against our zero waste goal will be reported to City Council each month, with a commitment to achieving very short term resolution and remedies for all violations.  Each department of the City will report on its contribution to meeting our zero waste landfill conversion and closure goals.
 

I further pledge that I will work with all interested professional waste management a recycling companies, along with our local universities and any other parties with viable ideas for ensuring that proposed models for achieving the aforementioned pledge commitments can be achieved without a negative impact to prevailing core services and systems as described with the City’s operating and capital budget priorities.

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J. Michael Sodergren

Candidate San Jose Council Member-District 10