New councilmembers coming to Millbrae

Goodman grew up in public housing within San Francisco’s historic Fillmore District. He was only 8 years old when his mother died and, along with his siblings, was raised by their grandmother. Goodman said it weighed on him when Chinedu Okobi died in 2018 from cardiac arrest after San Mateo County sheriff’s deputies used a Taser on him multiple times. He moved to the city a few years later in 2022.

“What would it mean for my Black children?” Goodman said.“I want to make sure there is a sense of accountability as a councilmember and as a city so that all residents and anybody who visits regardless of race, class or gender is safe and welcome in the city.”

Both Goodman and Angelina Cahalan will be sworn into City Council seats Dec. 13. Current councilmembers Reuben Holober and Mayor Anne Olivia are terming out. Goodman won his council seat with 1,044 votes, or 73.42%, in the November election. He beat his opposition, write-in candidate Dzuong (Bob) Tung Nguyen, who received 378 votes, or 26.58%. Cahalan won her seat by receiving 633 votes, or 55.92%, over former mayor Wayne Lee, who received 499 votes, or 44.08%.

“Giving back to my community is one of the things I try to do to pay it forward by providing others with the type of leadership and representation I wish I had growing up,” Goodman said.

Once he is sworn in, Goodman said he will be phasing out his position on the San Mateo County Community College District Board of Trustees, which he has served on since 2015. He was also the first Black person to serve on the board. Before that, he served two terms on the South San Francisco Unified School District Board of Trustees.

During his term in Millbrae, Goodman aims to tackle homelessness, infrastructure issues, community engagement and building partnerships with state and county agencies as he hopes to help bring the city to its fullest potential while maintaining the charm and character that makes it family oriented.

“Millbrae is very diverse and I learned it’s a very caring community and I want to continue to highlight that,” Goodman said. “The town and the people have embraced me, and that’s the reason I want to serve.”

District elections are new for Millbrae, and Goodman ensures he is focused on the entire community. Whether it’s business downtown, public safety in the city, property crimes on the hill or flooding on the east side, it all matters, he said. He plans on tackling citywide issues by taking advantage of his relationships with elected officials.

“I have to establish coalitions and give opportunities to respond to the needs of Millbrae that are conducive to not just what the city is but what it will become in the future,” Goodman said.

He sees an intermodal station with BART, Caltrain and potentially high-speed rail as a way to support businesses with more foot traffic.

“The high-speed rail station might create an opportunity for the rest of the state to get to see Millbrae,” Goodman said.

He volunteered time with the American Red Cross, where he served in a volunteer leadership role during the San Bruno pipeline explosion and fire. He was deployed during Hurricane Katrina, and has volunteered with the Boys and Girls Club and the NAACP of San Mateo County. He has coached Pop Warner football and also serves as the executive director of a San Francisco based nonprofit startup.

Cahalan, who also has nonprofit experience as a director, previously said her work experience can help the city stretch its budget. And her problem-solving skills and creativity will be useful tools while on the council, she added.

The area that surrounds Millbrae Avenue and El Camino Real near the BART station had some issues during development. To make things better going forward, Cahalan believes community involvement is the key.

Cahalan wants to ensure the city develops its commercial sectors while focusing on traffic, roads and schools. She believes thoughtful development could bring in more residents to the city.

Unlike its neighboring city Burlingame, Millbrae doesn’t have as much outdoor activity and she said there is still room for growth.

The city needs to be more creative in finding ways to get the residents downtown, she said.

In the next 10 years, Cahalan would like to see a change in how the homeless population in the city is treated, with more involvement in nonprofits like LifeMoves and focusing on safety issues with hate crimes rising, especially against AAPI residents that make up 40% of Millbrae’s residents.