YOUR GUIDE TO CITY-RELATED NEWS AND EVENTS | | How to Run for Office: Pick Up Nomination Papers | | |
For those persons interested in learning how to run for office, first, confirm that you meet the qualifications to run for City Council, including residency and voter registration within the Council District you wish to represent.
Then, before raising or spending any campaign funds, prospective candidates must file FPPC Form 501 (Candidate Intention Statement) with the Gilroy City Clerk’s Office.
Next, to officially become a candidate, individuals must obtain and complete nomination papers directly from the City Clerk during the nomination period, open from July 13 to August 7.
As a reminder, Districts 4, 5, and 6 will be on the ballot in the November 3, 2026, General Municipal Election, and candidates must be a resident and registered voter of the district they seek to represent at least 30 days before filing nomination papers.
Not sure which Council District you live in? Residents can find their district by using the City Council District Map at www.cityofgilroy.org/CouncilDistricts.
Nomination Period for the 2026 Election:
- Opened: Monday, July 13, 2026 at 8:30 AM
- Closes: Friday, August 7, 2026 at 5:00 PM sharp
Nomination materials are only issued by appointment. Candidates must schedule:
- An appointment to receive the required forms and nomination papers
- A second appointment to submit completed documents
Forms typically include nomination signatures, statements, and required campaign filings.
A Candidate Guidebook is available, with detailed instructions and requirements.
To schedule an appointment with the City Clerk, please email cityclerk@cityofgilroy.org
For more information about how to run for office, visit: www.cityofgilroy.org/elections
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Help Shape the Future of Recreation Activities in Gilroy
Recreation Division Assessment
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The City of Gilroy is conducting a Recreation Division Assessment focused on recreation programming, activities, and financials, and we want to hear from you. Whether you participate in current programs or have ideas for new classes, events, or activities, your input is essential in helping us understand our community’s recreation needs, priorities, and dreams for the future.
Over the next few months, we’ll be gathering input through community meetings, surveys, the project website, and pop-up events across the city. This is your chance to let us know what kinds of recreation programs you enjoy, what’s missing, and what you’d love to see offered in the future.
Your feedback will directly shape recommendations for recreation programming in the years ahead.
Note: Later this year, the City will begin a separate project focused on gathering community feedback about recreation facilities, parks, and trails master planning. For now, we’re zeroing in on Recreation activities and programs. So, join us, get involved, and help guide the future of recreation in Gilroy!
Outreach Events
Tabling: National Night Out
Tuesday, August 4, 2026
4:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Civic Center Plaza located at 7351 Rosanna Street
Community Open House: Gallery and Information Walk
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
9:00 AM and 6:00 PM (two sessions)
Gilroy Senior Center Meeting Room located at 7371 Hanna Street
To learn more about the Recreation Division Assessment, visit www.cityofgilroy.org/1179/Recreation-Division-Assessment
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Send This to a Friend. . .
Recycling: Together We Can Make a Difference
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Recycling is a simple and easy way to help keep our community clean and reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills.
Your blue recycling cart is the place to toss:
- paper,
- bottles,
- aluminum,
- jars,
- cans, and
- plastic containers #1-7
Together, we can make a difference and protect our environment for generations to come.
Visit Recology for a guide on all recyclable materials.
| | County Collecting Recalled Grapevine Plants Sold at Costco | | |
If you purchased a grapevine plant from Costco between April and May 2026, please contact the Santa Clara County Division of Agriculture to confirm, and county staff will collect the grapevine plants purchased.
This recall is due to invasive insects found on the shipments of grapevines sold at select Costco locations in Northern California.
To help stop the spread of this invasive pest, County agricultural staff will visit customers who purchased the grapevine plants and leave collection supplies and instructions on how to prepare the plants for pickup. They’ll return on a scheduled date to collect the plants for proper inspection and disposal.
Residents should not relocate, compost, or dispose of the plants themselves.
If you no longer have this plant or would like to contact the Division of Agriculture, email SCC.GWSS@cep.sccgov.org or call (408) 918-4662.
| | We're Hiring: Senior Maintenance Worker | | |
The City of Gilroy is hiring a full-time Senior Maintenance Worker for the Utilities Department, Water Division.
In this role, the Senior Maintenance Worker will demonstrate advanced level experience in the maintenance, repair, and operation of water distribution systems, including underground construction, trench excavation, and shoring systems.
This position offers a pathway for career growth, providing hands-on leadership experience and opportunities to build advanced technical skills in water distribution system operations.
Join our team! www.cityofgilroy.org/jobs
Application closes August 6, 2026.
| | Santa Teresa Fire Station Staffing Report | | |
During the week of July 3, 2026, our firefighters staffed the Interim Santa Teresa Fire Station for seven days.
We will staff the station as often as available personnel and responsible overtime practices allow.
When we have enough staffing, we will place the station in service with either:
- A Type 1 engine with three firefighters, or
- A Type 6 engine with two firefighters, depending on daily personnel availability.
On days when we do not have qualified personnel, we will leave the station unstaffed. This approach aligns with our seasonal operations.
We will continue to staff the station whenever heightened public safety concerns arise, including:
- State of emergency declarations
- Red Flag Warnings
- Fourth of July and surrounding weekends
- Potential flood conditions or other disasters
- Public events or gatherings where increased risk is identified
This weekly report is part of our ongoing commitment to transparency regarding the staffing status of the Santa Teresa Fire Station.
| | Thank You, Volunteers for Beautifying San Ysidro Park | | |
Thank you to all the volunteers who participated in last week’s cleanup at San Ysidro Park. Your dedication and commitment to keeping our parks clean and beautiful are truly a reflection of our amazing Gilroy community.
In addition to the trash collected, park benches were repainted thanks to the hard work of our Public Works staff and the support of local partners who helped make this possible.
If you or a local organization would like to participate in future cleanup and beautification efforts, please contact Andrew Young at andrew.young@cityofgilroy.org
We are always looking for volunteers who want to make a positive impact in the community.
Save the date for our next event: Coastal Cleanup Day on September 19.
For more details, visit Love Gilroy:Help Keep Our Community Clean.
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Voices of Our Community
Celebrating Positive Feedback
| | The City of Gilroy partners with Swan Aquatics to operate programs at the Christopher High School Aquatics Center, where local staff provide swim lessons, free swim hours, pool parties, and more. We’re grateful for the dedication of the teams who make these programs possible. In response to their work, we recently received this wonderful feedback: | Absolutely love this place! My daughter started coming here in 2022, and my son joined her in 2024 and all of our swim instructors have been phenomenal!! My son really enjoyed having swim instructors Josh and Cash who were so patient and kind with him. All of the guards, swim instructors are amazing, professional, and so attentive. Can't wait to come back next summer! | | |
Thank you to this family for taking the time to share their experience, and thank you to the Swan Aquatics team and all Aquatics Center staff for their continued commitment to high‑quality service. For information about pool hours, rates, and classes, visit www.gilroyswim.com.
We also appreciate hearing from our community about the Email Express, Gilroy’s weekly newsletter. Feedback like the note below helps us understand what’s resonating and where we can continue to grow:
| | I was just reading the Gilroy Email Express that arrives on occasion and wanted to let you know that I find it very interesting and informative. Well done as always! | A big thank‑you to this reader for sharing their thoughts. We’re committed to providing useful, timely information each week, and we’re grateful for everyone who reads and engages with the Email Express. | | |
Have you noticed any potholes, water leaks, streetlight outages, tree issues, or have a neighborhood or city-related concern?
Our online service request portal and mobile app (available for download in app store), GilroyConnect, makes it easier than ever to report city-related concerns.
With just a few simple steps, you can submit your request, track your service request, and view other resident requests.
Once your request is submitted, you will have the option to create an account, which will give you access to additional features and to receive updates on your service request.
| | | Ask Gilroy: Your City, Your Questions! | | |
Thank you to everyone who submitted questions!
We've provided answers to some of the questions below, and look forward to more questions this week.
❓Will the tennis courts at El Roble park be resurfaced in the near future as well?
Unfortunately, due to safety concerns, the tennis courts at El Roble Park are permanently closed.
The City of Gilroy will soon begin developing a Parks and Trails Master Plan to help prioritize future improvements to local parks and recreation facilities. To learn more or to participate in this planning process, please call the City of Gilroy Public Works Department at 408-846-0223.
❓I would like to know how the new data center was approved to be built without any city council or public input?
Thank you so much for reaching out and sharing your interest in the Amazon Web Services (AWS) data center project. We understand some in the community have concerns about this project.
Gilroy, like other cities throughout the state, provide guidance for development through a General Plan. Through a very public process, this plan outlines appropriate uses for properties throughout Gilroy. One of the goals of the plan is to create an understanding of which developments can occur in which places. This General Plan is created following many public meetings held by a committee made up of residents, businesses, and councilmembers. The General Plan provides guidance to City staff. If projects comply with the guidance then the projects are seen to be appropriate and are advanced through the permitting process.
In the case of this project, a further step of environmental review occurred. This environmental review detailed any impacts the project might have and how to address those. This too was a public process and the City received comments on the report that were addressed.
Nevertheless, we hear that residents want to know more about projects that are building in Gilroy during the decision making process. We have adjusted so that more projects will be presented to the City Council prior to approval and significant projects are located on the City website, ready for review. We will also begin highlighting new projects of significance in this newsletter.
If you want to learn more about the AWS project, take a look at this webpage: www.cityofgilroy.org/1019/Gilroy-Data-Center-by-AWS
| Have a question about Gilroy’s services, projects, or community happenings? Submit it through the "Submit a Question" button above. Each week, we'll answer one or two in our newsletter so you can stay informed and connected. | |
City of Gilroy
Office Hours
Gilroy City Hall is open to the public Monday through Thursday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM, and on Friday by appointment only.
City of Gilroy
(408) 846-0219
7351 Rosanna Street, Gilroy, CA 95020
www.cityofgilroy.org
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