Interim Burlingame District 1 councilmember selected

Pappajohn will be sworn in at the City Council’s upcoming May 6 meeting.

“I really feel honored to serve in this new capacity, and I appreciate the City Council putting their trust in me for this important role,” Pappajohn said.

Pappajohn doesn’t have any particular agenda for the interim term, she said, but will be looking to meet the needs of Burlingame as they come.

Mayor Donna Colson emphasized throughout the April 17 interview process that both candidates were qualified to hold the role.

“We have two amazing candidates today,” she said at the beginning of the interviews. “We are so fortunate in this city, we have received applications from two women — they are diverse, they are committed, they have served the city in various capacities over time … whatever happens today, how everything goes, we’re so fortunate.”

During an April 17 interview process with the City Council, Pappajohn fielded questions from councilmembers about specific city issues — like the El Camino renewal project, which she said she was in support of, and development, which she said was important to pursue with intention.

She also answered questions around her goals for the city and comfort with sometimes making challenging decisions.

She cited a recent challenge on the Parks and Recreation Commission, as councilmembers weighed the merits of allowing off-leash dogs at Ray Park and heard from impassioned residents on the issue. Ultimately, the commission voted not to allow off-leash dogs, despite strong sentiments both for and against.

“Parks and Recreation did a survey and really tried to get more voices. We thought about the safety, heard from staff, what it was doing to the field where we just made over a $2 million investment,” she said.

She emphasized the importance of hearing from a variety of residents and impacted parties when weighing issues.

“You always hear the loud voices. Loud voices are right there, coming to the meetings. They are on top of the issue that’s important to them,” she said. “When I first started [at the] Parks and Recreation Commission, it was easy to hear the loud voices. As I developed in my role as a commissioner, I needed to hear all voices.”

Pappajohn told the City Council at the end of the meeting that she was proud of her work in public service, and she had a vested interest in retaining Burlingame’s unique character so other families could enjoy it as she had.

“My biggest accomplishment is raising my three children,” she said. “I feel blessed and proud they’ve grown into responsible young adults. I can credit Burlingame for providing an ideal environment. I feel a sense of duty and great interest in supporting the environment and the benefit for other people as well.”