Santa Clara City Clerk Candidate: Bob O’Keefe

The Santa Clara Weekly has invited candidates running for Santa Clara City Council and City Clerk to speak directly to the voters via our pages and website. 

1. What is the primary role of the City Clerk?
   A. The City Clerk is elected to office by the voters of the City of Santa Clara and is solely accountable to the voters. The City Clerk is the department head and sets policy for the City Clerk’s office. The primary duty of the City Clerk is that of the City’s Elections Official, having charge of all municipal elections, including enforcement of all federal, state and local ordinances pertaining to elections and campaign finances.
2. How will you ensure that the Council and City operates in a transparent way and that its operations comply with law?
   A. I at all times will conduct myself in a lawful, transparent, and professional manner with high moral values and ethical standards, I will expect no less of any other elected official or city employee. The City Clerks’ office is mandated by law to perform many duties related to the actions of the City Council including posting of meetings, publishing meeting agendas and recording accurate and complete minutes of those meetings. As City Clerk I will ensure that those duties are thoroughly completed and made available for public review in a timely manner.
3. What constitutes a conflict of interest for a City Clerk?
   A. Any actions of a self-serving interest that I would benefit from as being the City Clerk, including gifts, perks, business or financial opportunities. Also the perception of an activity that could be mistakenly construed as a conflict of interest must be fully evaluated and avoided when possible. If in doubt I would seek counsel from the City Attorney if the action I am about to take would constitute a conflict of interest.
4. How will you conduct yourself so that you will be a fair and impartial administrator? How will you ensure that you are perceived that way?
   A. As city clerk my actions will be above reproach, I will administer my office in a non-political, non-partisan fashion always being dedicated to public service. My guiding principles will be based on honesty, fairness, integrity, knowledge, leadership, dedication, accountability, humility, inclusion, and common sense.  I will be transparent and accessible; I will set regular office hours and fully engage with the public through the city’s social media platforms, regularly held City Clerk town hall meetings and City Council meetings.  I will hold myself responsible to all and accountable to the citizens of Santa Clara.

Bob O’Keefe  www.okeefeforcityclerk.com.

The following candidates for City Clerk Candidates did not respond to the Weekly’s opportunity to speak to the voters: Hosam Haggag, Roseann LaCoursiere, Thomas MacDevitt and Christopher Stampolis.