William Lam is running for Milpitas City Council

William Lam has announced his candidacy for Milpitas City Council.

An advocate and Milpitas resident for 35 years, Lam is running on a platform centered on public safety, quality of life, and responsible budget management. 

Lam graduated from UC Berkeley and San José State University before going on to a successful career in Engineering and Management. “For the past 21 years,” he said in a statement, “I served on the Technology Commission, MCTV, and was elected as Chairperson for the Milpitas Homeless Task Force. Inspired by raising my daughter, I dedicated 13 years to MUSD, serving as Chairperson of the Community Board Advisory Council, School Site Council, and Parcel Tax Oversight Committee.”

Lam now sets his sights on a Council seat, seeking government transparency, viewpoint diversity, and infrastructure improvements. 

In an interview with The Milpitas Beat, Lam shared, “I am an independent.  Big government plays a significant role in managing economic and social affairs. Small government restricts its role to the important activities of the state, and leaves other activities to companies, charities, and the individuals in the society. I am in favor of finding a balance between these two extremes.”

In the meantime, Mr. Lam outlined a plan by which he would seek to enhance the culture at Milpitas City Hall:

“1. Understand the current culture

2. Develop a clear vision and set of core values that define the new culture.
3. Ensure that top officials and department heads are fully committed to the cultural change and are prepared to lead by example.
4. Modify existing policies and procedures to align with the new cultural values.
5. Establish mechanisms for employees to provide feedback and express concerns.
6. Offer training on new practices that support the cultural shift.
7. Recognize and celebrate milestones and successes related to the cultural change.
8. Evaluate how the cultural change is affecting employee satisfaction, productivity, and public perception.
9. Work to build and maintain trust with the community through consistent and transparent communication.
10. Promote a culture that values creativity and innovation in solving problems and improving processes.”

According to Lam, the above steps would be a guide to drive cultural change within City Hall, leading to improved operations, employee satisfaction, and community relations.

It was back in 2002 when Mayor Jose Esteves suggested that Lam volunteer on one of the City of Milpitas’s commissions. In light of his technical background, Lam served on the Telecomm Commission (now called the Technology Commission). “Because of Mayor Esteves,” Lam shared, “I got involved with the City and later I served [in] a leadership role in other city organizations, as well as numerous school district councils and committees.”

“Persistence is one of my main strengths,” Lam shared with The Beat. “Just keep on doing what you believe in and eventually you will succeed.”

Lam is running for City Council against current Councilmember Evelyn Chua, current School Board Trustee Anu Nakka, former Milpitas Planning Commissioner Bill Chuan, Milpitas Planning Commissioner Dipak Awasthi, and executive coordinator Juliette Gomez. 

Election Day is on Tuesday, November 5. Go here for more information about William Lam and his candidacy.