People You Need to Know: Robert Bergman

Robert Bergman

Council and staff has done the work necessary to: 1) hear that the AOC has agreed to build the new the new courthouse at 201 Church Street; 2) approve a budget healthy enough to establish a reserve account; 3) see that Calanan has been remade into a welcoming and useful gathering place; 4) attend the grand opening of California Organics at 210 Broad Street; 5) and see progress helping the transient/homeless people who I see every day; 6) more….

Robert Bergman will move into the role of Nevada City mayor in July and serve in that position for the next year. The attorney is now the vice mayor and before that was appointed in 2006 to the Nevada City Planning Commission. He was elected to the City Council in 2008. Bergman, a UCLA graduate, is also chairman of the city’s Calanan Park Committee, which is looking to remake the downtown park.

You’re moving into the mayor’s chair in your third year on the City Council, which puts you in the middle of the action at council meetings and in the civic affairs of Nevada City. What have you learned on the council so far?

Remember, the mayor is just one of five equal voices on the Council. The job’s only add-ons are that he/she is the master of ceremonies for the Council’s meetings and Nevada City’s public presence at worldwide events.

As I see it, each of us on the Council is in the ‘middle of the action’ to the extent he/she cares to be. For the most part, I’ll continue on for the next two years at the same level as I have to date. I’m little savvier, though.

I’ve picked up a lot along the way - both substance and style. After two years of Council work (including LAFCo, the ERC, the courthouse and Calanan, etc.) and a couple of years on the Planning Commission, I now have a reasonably good take on the City’s issues and operations, its residents and their differing interests, concerns and opinions, City staff, elementary politics, and, of course, Reinette, Sally, Barbara and David.

What kind of mayor do you want to be?

Hmmmm. A reasonably optimistic one who contributes, who for the most part keeps his feet out of his mouth, who listens and is fair-minded, and who works with vision – blurry as that may seem to some from time-to-time.

What goals do you have as the mayor?

One that comes to mind is to turn a brighter light on the arts and education. They are, or ought to be, core components of every community and essential for its well-being - in a broad, complete sense. I think they are dismissed too easily as second-tier items, actively supported only when ‘extra’ funds are available. But look at it another way – arts and education are a part of a community’s sustainability. I’ll call this part ‘emotional sustainability’ and add it into the mix. The physical things (solar, energy retrofits, etc.) alone aren’t enough. Interweave them all together. Then you’ll have something exceptional to look at. That’s the theme, anyway. Details will probably follow.

What would you like to see the City Council accomplish in the next year?

Council and staff has done the work necessary to: 1) hear that the AOC has agreed to build the new the new courthouse at 201 Church Street; 2) approve a budget healthy enough to establish a reserve account; 3) see that Calanan has been remade into a welcoming and useful gathering place; 4) attend the grand opening of California Organics at 210 Broad Street; 5) and see progress helping the transient/homeless people who I see every day; 6) more….

All in all, I’d like to be able to say that the City has continued to move ahead and that we didn’t compromise its heritage along the way.

Nevada City seems to be facing a particularly challenging year. There is the possibility of the courthouse and KVMR moving out of the downtown, the Alpha Building on Broad Street remains vacant, and they’ve closed the doors of the Nevada City Elementary school. What should the city do about the critical discussions involving these organizations and buildings?

Generally, the City should continue to actively assist with these projects. The scope of work for each of them differs, of course, and the needs of the parties vary. In each case, whenever there’s a request for help (whether at staff level or through Council action) the City will respond effectively and as quickly as possible. I know first-hand that it has consistently done so for the projects I’m involved in.

Even though we have our challenges, Nevada City has plenty of assets as well. What do you see as the strengths of our community and where do you see our greatest opportunities?

First among the strengths of Nevada City is our community itself. Look at the Saturday Market. People are coming down for more than fruit and vegetables. They’re drawn in by the life-of-it-all. The 95959Google event had the same lure. I’m seeing it more and more. The “look and feel” of Nevada City attracted the California Preservation Foundation’s annual conference and AMGEN’s stage one this year. The A.P.P.L.E. Center and the Greenhouse School of Music show what good people are doing here.

Earlier, I said that we should interweave art and education tightly into a work plan for an honestly sustainable town. Following through on this goal will generate more opportunities than I can list - considering the word count you have me limited to.

What brought you to Nevada City in the first place and what do you do in spare time if you have any these days?

Luck, I’d say. In 1982, after our daughter was born, we wanted to abandon West Los Angeles. There was a job open running the Community Law Center in Marysville. I saw a photo of Nevada City and said, ‘this can work.’ We packed up. After a year or so, we moved up from Penn Valley to Nevada City.

For the next 20+ years I had no meaningful interaction with the City’s affairs. My focus was on our two daughters. That changed when I “signed up” for the Planning Commission four years ago. Now, I’m immersed in city-stuff, and that’s good for me.