Pleasanton, City Government

The city of Pleasanton, like many Bay Area communities, has an active city government. Pleasanton, because of its affluence, is fortunate in that it has numerous community resources and the administrative and government staff and programs necessary to provide those services to the population. There are numerous recreational activities and facilities provided by the city government. There are also community organizations that are very much tied in with the city government. The Pleasanton Downtown Association, for instance, throws the First Wednesday and Friday Concert in the Park events, which are among the city’s most popular activities.

The city of Pleasanton has a council/manager government. This model is popular in California, and is designed to streamline the efficiency with which the government works. The city has a council and each counselor is elected to a 4-year term. The mayor is elected to a 2-year term. These positions are non-partisan. In partisan terms, the city has areas which tend to favor both Democrats and Republicans, though this affiliation is not at all a factor in the city government. The City Manager is an administrator who is responsible for seeing that the services approved by the council are delivered to the community as intended.

The City Council of Pleasanton holds meetings on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month. These meetings begin at 7pm and are held at 200 Old Bernal Avenue, in the City Council Chambers. The city broadcasts these meetings over the web, increasing the number of people who are able to attend the meetings and to be active in their community. There are numerous advisory committees that help the city council to be more effective, including the Civic Arts Commission, The Planning Commission and the Youth Master Plan Implementation Committee.

Pleasanton’s community spirit extends to a variety of programs in which citizens can get involved, as well. There is the Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee, which meets on the 3rd Monday of each month in the same building as does the City Council. Pleasanton is very bicycle and pedestrian friendly, especially in the downtown, and this committee makes it possible for citizens to voice their concerns about the pedestrian and cyclist needs that manifest. There is also a committee for those who wish to be involved in helping to preserve the green and open spaces in the city, in the form of the Trails Ad Hoc Committee, which also meets at the City Council building.

Pleasanton lies in California’s 10th Senate District. The city spans several Assembly Districts, including the 15th, 18th and 20th. The city lies in California’s 11th Congressional District for national elections. The city is politically diverse, as the population includes a great number of very affluent and educated individuals from all over the nation and world. The resources provided by the city to the residents of Pleasanton are made very easy to obtain and there are several different organizations and activities sponsored by the city of which citizens can take advantage whenever the desire suits them.