Three-time mayor won't seek re-election Three-time mayor won't seek re-election (July 26, 2002)

Sharifa Wilson to step down after 12 years

by Don Kazak

Sharifa Wilson has told the Weekly she won't seek a fourth term on the East Palo Alto City Council this fall.

The 12-year council veteran, who was been mayor three times, said that "it's time for me to move on and time for other people to take leadership positions."

Among other things, Wilson was part of the leadership of the city from when it went through its grimmest days -- 42 drug-related homicides in 1992, no development projects -- to the beginnings of economic success that can be seen now.

The stores at the Ravenswood 101 Retail Center have been open for several years, and two of the office towers at University Circle are occupied. A whole new residential neighborhood sits behind the shopping center, and more redevelopment projects are being planned.

"There were things I wanted to accomplish when I got on the council, and I tried to accomplish them," Wilson said. "And 12 years is a long time."

"It's a personal decision for me," Wilson said. "When I started (on the council) my son was 6 years old, now he's 18, so it's had a tremendous impact."

Regional cooperation among the cities of East Palo Alto, Menlo Park and Palo Alto greatly increased in 1993 when Wilson met regularly with fellow women mayors Jean McCown (Palo Alto) and Gail Slocum (Menlo Park).

"She exhibited a willingness to try to move past historical assumptions about neighbors," McCown said of Wilson, referring to the fact that the cities had not had strong relations before then. "It took a lot of foresight and vision on her part."

Wilson was the city's mayor in 1993 when it was still reeling from drug-related street violence. Palo Alto and Menlo Park had helped form a regional anti-drug team in 1992 (the squad would go on to make 1,000 arrests in little more than two years).

The filing deadline for the East Palo Alto City Council race will now be extended from Aug. 9 to 14, since one of the two incumbents is not seeking re-election. Myrtle Walker is also up for re-election.

"I wanted to give people fair warning so others can decide to run," Wilson said.

Wilson and other members of the council have also been targets of some frustration in recent years by residents unhappy with the pace and scale of development.

She was the target of two failed recall attempts, one of which was aborted and the second of which failed to get enough votes.

Dennis Scherzer, a resident who led the recall efforts, said of Wilson's decision, "I feel it's probably time for a change. Her last term had a lot of conflict."

E-mail Don Kazak at dkazak@paweekly.com