Fond memories include attending the Morgan Hill Community Foundation Philanthropic events

Photo courtesy Mike Wasserman
Supervisor Mike Wasserman signs the final steel beam of the San Martin Animal Shelter when it was under construction. He played a major role in getting the facility funded and built. (Thank you, Mike, for all you have done for the South Valley region during your time  in office.)

By Mike Wasserman

Mike Wasserman

My tenure as the president of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors ends this month as I term out of office. It has been my honor and privilege to represent South County for the past 12 years.

During that time, I developed a deeper appreciation for the people, places and priorities of South County. I will never forget my shock when I first visited the county’s animal shelter in San Martin. While touring the converted 1930s house serving as a safe haven for thousands of animals annually, I made it my mission to give the animals, shelter staff and volunteers the facility they deserved. And we did! I am proud of our world-class 37,000-square-foot no-kill Animal Services Center. This new facility serves not only the needs of our animals, but also provides San Martin and all of South County a beautiful, much-deserved community space.

Promoting our county’s assets, including our agricultural heritage, has always been a priority for me. For years, the Santa Clara Valley Wine Region had been known as the “undiscovered wine country” of the Bay Area. But that began to change in 2014 when we christened the 28-mile Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail showcasing 30 award-winning wineries throughout South County. I am proud to have helped bring this long-discussed project to fruition. And throughout my tenure, I never miss an opportunity to encourage our residents to stop spending hours driving to and from Napa Valley when they can enjoy a much better wine experience right here.

In 2018, I supported the county’s acquisition of Saint Louise Regional Hospital, the DePaul Health Center and O’Connor Hospital when the owners declared bankruptcy. For the first time in modern history, Gilroy, San Martin and Morgan Hill residents were facing the unimaginable possibility of having their only hospital permanently shuttered. Thankfully, the county was not only able to purchase the struggling hospitals but turned them around, resulting in expanded access to healthcare for our residents and the preservation of more than 1,600 jobs.

New community parks and playgrounds are always a reason to celebrate. The all-inclusive Magical Bridge Playground in Morgan Hill is no exception. When I was approached to support this innovative project, I immediately became its strongest advocate at the county — securing $2 million in county grant funds to help make this park happen sooner rather than later. The Magical Bridge Foundation, city of Morgan Hill, the county and the many public and private contributors all came together to make the park possible.

Some of my fondest memories range from attending the Morgan Hill Community Foundation Philanthropic events and South County Wreaths Across America ceremonies, to leading insightful discussions with the Leadership Gilroy and Morgan Hill classes. Many of the committees I have chaired kept me connected to South County’s needs. I served as president of the Santa Clara County Library District, of which Gilroy and Morgan Hill libraries are a part. I chaired the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency, as well as the South County Youth Task Force, and served on the South County Joint Planning Advisory Committee and South County United for Health.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve. I leave you in good and capable hands with Supervisor-elect Sylvia Arenas and her team. Join me in welcoming her.

Farewell!

Mike Wasserman is the president of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. We wish him and his wife, Kim, the best as he leaves the board.