Mike Smith, of San Jose, took
early retirement in 2001 because he was "seriously burned out" after
almost 33 years with General Electric as an engineer and manager.
He took a year to decompress
and catch up on long-postponed tasks before figuring out what to do with the
rest of his life. What he found was a talent for advocacy.
Q. What was your thought
process after retiring?
A. I knew I wanted to keep the brain and body active, not
just sit around and watch television or whatnot. I wanted to do something I
found interesting, learn new things, do something worthwhile. Not just for me,
but for the community, too.
So I looked into some volunteer opportunities. Nothing
felt quite right. Then my wife showed me an item in the paper recruiting for
the next year's civil grand jury.
I applied, went through the selection process and got on
the jury for 2002-2003.
The system here is unique to California. Most people think
of it as the criminal process that does or doesn't indict people. Here, in
addition, the jury is given responsibility as a civic watchdog to local
governments, able to make recommendations. I found that absolutely fascinating.
It's a lot of work, equivalent of a half-time job.
Q. But you didn't stop there?
A. No, after that, I did a little traveling, pursuing
hobbies. Then I decided I wanted to (serve on the grand jury) again. I applied
for a second year and was asked by the presiding judge to serve as the floor
person. So I did another year.
After that, I got involved on local government boards. I'm
currently on two, and the chair of both -- the San Jose Ethics Commission and
the oversight committee for Measure H (a San Jose school bond measure passed in
2012).
The ethics board has an advisory role, advising the City
Council on ethical issues, possible changes to the municipal codes, and there's
a quasi-judicial role. We are authorized to investigate complaints, we hold
hearings and have the authority to impose penalties.
On the Measure H committee, we review how the money is
used, if it's consistent with what voters were told in first place.
Q. What are the benefits of
this work?
A. I really, really enjoy it. It's something I think a lot
of people don't really know about, and it's particularly good for retirees.
Boards meet during the day, and retirees can bring a lifetime of experience and
a broad perspective to it all. Not that every board should consist of all
retirees, but it's something we can offer there.
There's a lot to learn, too. I've been on the Ethics
Commission for eight years. It's a fair amount of work -- voluminous reports to
review. Probably not for everybody, sitting cooped up in a committee room
somewhere.
But for me, I enjoy it. It goes back to my career in
engineering, where I did a lot of writing and editing reports. What I was
looking for when I first started on this adventure is that I wanted to be able
to use some of the skills and abilities I'd developed over my career, and use
some of those things in a different way.
Q. What's next on your agenda?
A. Well, I have two more years on the Ethics Commission
before I term out. So that'll carry me through 2017. On the school bond
oversight committee, I have another four years plus. But I kind of keep my eyes
open for things. I've got a couple of ideas.
Q. What's your takeaway from
this work?
A. I always thought I was a very informed citizen, but I
learned so much and have continued to learn so much -- I realize I didn't know
anything. It really opened my eyes to the workings of local government.
January
10, 2015
Oroville
Mercury Register
By
Angela Hill, Oakland Tribune
No comments:
Post a Comment