Tag Archives: Kari Birdseye

Bart Sullivan: Kari Birdseye has an incredible track record

October 9, 2022 Roger Straw

…watch Kari in action as the chair of the planning commission, and then look at the results over these last five years.

By Bart Sullivan, October 9, 2022

After thoroughly looking at the candidates for Benicia City Council, I’d like to focus today on one candidate, Kari Birdseye, and why I believe she would make an excellent city council member.

When voting for a particular candidate, I look to the candidate’s commitment to serving the community, honesty, fairness, and integrity as pillars for who they are, and how they will represent their constituents. While many candidates offer some of these attributes, a great candidate, such as Kari, has all these pillars.

For example, when it comes to commitment to serving the community, Kari has an incredible track record of volunteering and civic engagement such as serving on the Human Services Board and working as president of the PTA. These volunteer activities alone while working full time and raising a family demonstrate Kari’s dedication to serving the community. But Kari did not stop there! Over the last five years I have had the opportunity to marvel at Kari Birdseye’s ability to lead the planning commission while treating members of the commission and community honestly, fairly, and with integrity.

If you have had the opportunity to watch Kari in action as the chair of the planning commission, and then look at the results from the planning commission over these last five year, I think you will find Kari has demonstrated her ability to deftly navigate different inputs from the community, business, and the city, then masterfully work with everyone to find solutions, all while maintaining her commitment to maintain Benicia’s small-town historic charm.

Kari has committed to tackle some of our most complex issues such as diversifying our economic tax base and making sure that we have clean air and clean water. While these issues sound simple enough, they are very complex with competing economic, business, and community interests. Given Kari’s background and track record as a proven problem solver and masterful negotiator, I believe Kari as part of our city council will user her skills and fierce dedication to our community to navigate such complex issues and much more!

Bart Sullivan
Benicia, CA

More letters, news & links about Kari here on the BenIndy

And best of all – Kari’s website!

Benicia City Council, Kari Birdseye, Terry Scott

Pat Toth-Smith: Vote for the endorsed Democrats for Benicia City Council

October 9, 2022 Roger Straw

Terry Scott and Kari Birdseye for Benicia City Council

By Pat Toth-Smith, October 9, 2022

Of the Democratic Party candidates running for the two open seats on Benicia’s City Council this election season, Terry Scott and Kari Birdseye won the endorsement vote of the California Democratic Party by way of the Solano County Democratic Central Committee on August 27.

Note that candidate Lionel Largaespada is a registered Republican and so was not eligible for an endorsement by the Democratic Party.

Both Terry Scott and Kari Birdseye have many innovative ideas which will help Benicia flourish.

Terry Scott views Benicia as an economically vibrant community that preserves its small-town status and place in California history, celebrates inclusivity and diversity, embraces the arts, and demands a high level of safety, including clean air and clean water. Terry’s long employment history includes being an innovative strategist as the Senior Vice President and global head of creative services for Hasbro. He also was a small business owner, which included owning and operating a successful restaurant. More recently he was the chair of the Benicia Arts and Culture Commission. Terry’s extensive work history and proven problem-solving abilities make him uniquely qualified to fulfill the position of City Council member.

Kari Birdseye has for years contributed to our town and its residents. She has a long history of working on the Benicia Planning Commission and was voted by her fellow members to lead the Commission. Kari was an early “no” vote on the Crude by Rail project and her innovative strategies regarding the environment will help Benicia navigate flooding, drought, and other potential effects of climate change. She is a good choice for Benicia.

I encourage you to follow the California Democratic Party’s lead and vote for Terry Scott and Kari Birdseye for Benicia City Council.

Pat Toth-Smith
Benicia Resident

More letters, news & links about Kari here on the BenIndy

And best of all – Kari’s website!

Benicia City Council, Kari Birdseye

Mayor Steve Young: Endorsement for Kari Birdseye for Benicia City Council

October 7, 2022 Roger Straw

She is, in my opinion, the single most qualified candidate for Council we have seen in the last dozen years.

By Benicia Mayor Steve Young, October 7, 2022

I want to issue my strongest possible endorsement for Kari Birdseye in her campaign for Benicia City Council. She is, in my opinion, the single most qualified candidate for Council we have seen in the last dozen years.

I got to know Kari in 2014 when we served together on the Planning Commission. Among the most contentious projects we reviewed and acted upon was Valero’s Crude by Rail project which would have changed how the refinery receives crude oil from tanker ships to train cars. We spent more than two years on that project, and listened to dozens of speakers, both for (including current council member Largaespada) and against (many Benicia residents as well as representatives of other governmental entities including California Attorney General Kamala Harris’ office, CalTrans, and a variety of environmental organizations).

During this time, Kari was studious, thoughtful, and respectful of all sides before finally voting along with the entire Planning Commission to reject the Valero proposal.

Kari ran for City Council once before, in 2018, when the Valero funded PAC (“Working Families for a Strong Benicia; a coalition of Labor, Industrial Services Companies, Public Safety and Local Leaders Supporting Christina Strawbridge and Lionel Largaespada and Opposing Kari Birdseye for Benicia City Council”) spent more than $200,000 to defeat her.

These characteristics of independent thought, doing her homework, and respectful listening and consideration of all viewpoints have also marked her role on the Planning Commission, where her colleagues have elected her Chair five times. These are skills needed on the City Council.

She has a long history of service to our community ranging from her leadership in the Matthew Turner PTA and Benicia Stingrays Swim Club, to her appointment to the Benicia Human Services Board before being appointed to the Planning Commission. I appreciate that in our 2022 election, Kari supports measures K and R.

Please join me in voting for Kari Birdseye for City Council.

Steve Young
Benicia Mayor

More letters, news & links about Kari here on the BenIndy

And best of all – Kari’s website!

Benicia City Council, Kari Birdseye

Elizabeth Patterson: Kari Birdseye is the most qualified candidate for City Council

October 3, 2022 Roger Straw

I cannot think of anyone more suited to the job.

By Elizabeth Patterson, October 2, 2022

Elizabeth Patterson, Benicia Mayor 2007-2020

It is with great pleasure and honor that I throw my full political support behind Kari Birdseye – candidate for Benicia city council election this November.

Kari Birdseye is a native Californian who treasures Benicia, the place we call home, for its history and its small town qualities as part of the Bay Area of water, open space, and an unmatched environment. She is a Californian who went east to learn and practice the trade of television news broadcasting. She learned to listen and ask questions and follow up questions. Coming back to California was to further her interest and career in the environment and raise her children in Benicia.

Kari dedicated herself to supporting our schools and set a record for fundraising at Matthew Turner Elementary. She is able to help her parents and grandparents in her busy life of job, children and school interests. She walks Olive her boxer dog and values our trails and open space.

I had the opportunity to appoint her to the Planning Commission where she has served as chair for five years. I like to watch her for pointers on how to engage the commissioners, pursue a line of questioning of staff and shepherd decisions to conclusion.

Her loyalty to her community is unfailing.

Now she wants to serve our fair city as a council member. I for one cannot think of anyone more suited to the job.

Elections are only a month away, and you deserve a say in who runs our city. Voting for Kari Birdseye is a vote for a person who I consider the most qualified candidate to run for city council and I support her with unqualified enthusiasm.

Elizabeth Patterson
Benicia Mayor 2007-2020

More letters, news & links about Kari here on the BenIndy

And best of all – Kari’s website!