San Jose is getting a new District 10 councilmember

The San Jose City Council is handpicking the person who will represent District 10—the last vacancy on the dais.

Councilmembers will interview six finalists and select one to take over the open seat after former Councilmember Matt Mahan won his race for San Jose mayor last November. Candidates include Arjun Batra, George Casey, Ron Del Pozzo, Dennis Hawkins, J. David Heindel and Wendi Mahaney-Gurahoo.

On Tuesday, the council appointed Domingo Candelas to the District 8 seat after former Councilmember Sylvia Arenas won her bid for Santa Clara County supervisor. Candelas’ appointment was marred with controversy after three of his opponents accused him of accessing the interview questions ahead of time by using a phone and laptop against the rules. Councilmembers went into closed session in the middle of the appointment to deliberate if there were any risks of litigation regarding the allegations.

In an attempt to ensure parity and limit the possibility for cheating, Councilmember David Cohen is suggesting all candidates sit in the chambers and hear the questions at the same time—the District 8 appointment had candidates come into the chambers individually for their interviews. Councilmember Bien Doan suggests candidates who are sequestered outside should have no access to technology and be better supervised.

The candidates will be asked one question by each councilmember before public comment and the council’s vote.

Batra is a retired tech worker who served in various leadership roles at IBM and Intel Corporation. He’s served on various city committees, including those that oversee tax measure spending and smart city initiatives. He believes homelessness is the biggest challenge facing the city.

Casey is an attorney who works as the director of corporate counsel at Unlock Technologies, Inc. and serves on the San Jose Planning Commission. Casey has lived in the district since 1979.

Del Pozzo is a retired Santa Clara County Superior Court judge who has been involved in Rotary and Kiwanis clubs, as well as the Boys & Girls Club, Italian American Heritage Foundation and the Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley. He said the biggest challenge facing the city is improving public safety, and his goal is to bolster basic services in District 10.

Hawkins is retired after serving as San Jose’s former city clerk. He also served 24 years as a member of the Oak Grove School District board of trustees. He believes public safety and providing essential public services should be a top priority for the next District 10 councilmember.

Heindel is the owner of Hotworx, a 24-hour infrared fitness studio and gym. For the past decade he’s served on the District 10 Leadership Coalition, which Heindel said helped him understand the challenges facing the city.

Mahaney-Gurahoo is a community impact leader who serves as the vice president of the San Jose Unified School District board. Mahaney-Gurahoo, who previously worked for FIRST 5 Santa Clara County, wants to prioritize improving the quality of life for San Jose residents, alleviating homelessness and bolstering public safety.

The San Jose City Council meets Thursday at 3 p.m. to appoint a District 10 councilmember. Learn how to watch and participate.

This story will be updated.

Contact Jana Kadah at [email protected] or @Jana_Kadah on Twitter.