Welcome!
My name is Mark Olbert, and I’m a former member of the San Carlos, California City Council. This was my site for staying in touch with my constituents. My last day on the Council was December 14, 2020.
It’s now a platform I use to address local and regional issues that my neighbors may find interesting.
Here you’ll find my blog, links to articles about municipal issues, and material that will help you understand my Council work and my current views. All these can be accessed through the menu links at the top of every page.
If you’d like to be automatically notified when new content is added to this site just click the Subscribe button at the top of any page. If you’re already a subscriber you can use the Subscribe button to edit your subscription options.
Enjoy! And if you have a moment, drop me a line to let me know what’s on your mind.
Action Alert: Council Abandons Sidewalk Repair Cost Sharing Discussion
I’ve written a number of posts and articles in the last year or so about the City’s policy requiring property owners to pay 100% of
If We Really Want to Protect our Downtown…
Last night we discussed whether or not to extend or let expire our anti-chain store ordinance. These are the comments I made during the discussion.
Choosing What Kind of Community to Be
Last night we agreed to roll back the changes made in 2011 to the rules governing residential lot splits in San Carlos. I made the
You Can’t Lead From Behind
This op ed was published on September 19, 2016 in the San Mateo Daily Journal. If, like me, you think the Council should endorse Prop
Money Is More Important Than Protecting Lives?
At tonight’s City Council meeting I asked my colleagues to consider endorsing Proposition 63, Safety for All, a statewide ballot initiative that aims to put
Change Sidewalk Repair Policy Petition
Sign the petition: https://www.change.org/p/san-carlos-city-council-stand-up-against-unfair-sidewalk-repair-costs?recruiter=176010379 Cities used to repair sidewalks out of their own budget. But years ago the California Legislature gave cities the option of