We are installing two gateway welcome signs at the entrances to the city along Monterey Road.

By Brian Sullivan

Brian Sullivan

Schematic of Leadership Morgan Hill Class of 2022 welcome sign project. Photo courtesy from the class.

Leadership Morgan Hill has been developing leaders since 1995. More than 400  men and women have graduated and are now involved serving our community. They include a former mayor, several city council members and many city staff and community residents. This year’s class is made up of a diverse group of 23 people who have come together to participate, learn, inspire, connect, and serve.

We began in January and are now about halfway through our nine-month journey. What began as a group of individuals has become a cohesive team working toward a common goal of completing our chosen class project. Our team came up with a number of potential projects, all of which were worthy. During a period of a couple of weeks we narrowed the choices to six. In the end the class decided to combine two of the projects into one as they were compatible with the class vision.

We are installing two gateway welcome signs at the entrances to the city along Monterey Road. One will be located at the northwest corner of Old Monterey and Monterey roads as people come south under the train trestle. The south gateway sign will be on the southeast corner of Monterey Highway and Butterfield/Watsonville Road. The new safety signs will be on existing poles throughout the city. The locations will be strategically located where there have been safety issues, such as traffic accidents. We were very fortunate to have a development company come forward and agree to take charge and build the gateway signs, which will include the signs, landscaping, lighting and the installation of the community bricks which will help pay for the project. The firm will coordinate with the city and our Leadership Class of 2022 to ensure everything conforms with city rules and regulations.

After making the decision to combine the two projects we discussed how to implement and complete them in a timely manner. We developed a schedule and a list of elements needed to complete the project. We formed committees to take ownership of the different critical elements such as design, promotion, fundraising, construction, and vendor selection.

We presented our project to the Leadership Morgan Hill Board of Directors as well as the Morgan Hill City Council for their approval. We received approval from both and began in earnest the development of our project.

The gateway signs will be welcoming travelers for generations. As a community project we are offering the residents of Morgan Hill the opportunity to participate by purchasing bricks. By doing so the community will be supporting this project in a very personal way. Your purchase of an engraved brick will help offset the costs of these signs and the education associated with keeping our streets safer for pedestrians, bicyclists and everyone in our community.

Click HERE to download an order form to purchase a brick for the project

There are a number of different sizes and options to choose from. Please visit our website www.engravedbricks.com/campaign/LMH2022 and place your order online. If you have any questions or would like an order form please contact me at (408) 230-7875 or email me at [email protected].

Brian Sullivan is the 2018 Man of the Year for the Chamber of Commerce and the 2022 Leadership Morgan Hill LEAD award recipient with his wife, Kathy Sullivan. He wrote this column for Morgan Hill Life.