City Council Approves Plan for Gubernatorial Debate

The San Rafael City Council gave the go-ahead for a high profile gubernatorial debate at Dominican University of California on Oct. 12 by approving its plans to close streets, including Grand Avenue, the street university officials wanted to remain open. 

The debate between Democratic candidate Jerry Brown and Republican Meg Whitman is the last of three in the state before the Nov. 2 election. The event will be broadcast nationwide.

It will be moderated by NBC newsman Tom Brokaw.

City Manager Ken Nordhoff called it a unique and historic event for San Rafael and Dominican. 

Raffi Boloyan of the city's public works department said 775 guests are expected at Angelico Hall at 50 Acacia Ave., along with 200 staff and media. The university will cancel classes at noon on the day of the event to prevent student travel from adding to the congestion. 

Olive and Acacia avenues will be closed from 8 p.m. Oct. 10 to 6 a.m. Oct. 13.  Residents would have access to their homes. 

Neighbors presented arguments in support of Dominican's plans before the council, saying they thought they were well thought out and did their best to lessen the impact on residents.

Dominican Sister Patricia Boss said she was concerned about the closure of Grand Avenue because it could interfere with the ability of the convent's employees to ge to and from work.

Mayor Al Boro said residents should look at efforts on Grand Avenue not as a closure but as a way to limit access.

San Rafael resident Jim Garrity said he would attend the event as a protester and objected along with several other speakers to being restricted in where demonstrators would be allowed to congregate.

He urged the council to ensure that the debate is handled democratically.

"We should not go back to Bush-style putting protesters in a box," Garrity said.