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Tri-Valley Herald (Pleasanton, CA)

July 22, 2004

Campaign consultant chosen by school board; Bill Berry will work with committee to rally Dublin residents for bond measure

By Lea Blevins, STAFF WRITER

School board members selected a campaign consultant Tuesday night, making another move toward a general obligation bond measure for the November ballot.

Bill Berry, principal of William Berry Campaigns of Sacramento, was chosen out of three campaign consultant candidates who made presentations to the board.

"I look forward to working with them to make sure their schools are schools for the 21st century," Berry said.

Other candidates were Larry Tramutola of Tramutola Public Mobilization Strategies in Oakland, recognized as California's premier tax election consultant, and Catherine Lew, Tramutola's former vice president, of the Lew Edwards Group, also of Oakland.

Tramutola is also the campaign manager for the Livermore school district's November parcel tax.

School board members said that while Lew's presentation showed the most initial research on the district, they felt more confident in trusting the district's campaign with Tramutola or Berry.

"I think all three firms are very sound," said Superintendent John Sugiyama after hearing the presentations. "I like the passion demonstrated by [Tramutola's and Berry's firms]. I think that they probably at least voiced a strong interest in the community over [Lew's firm]."

Although feeling confident with either candidate, board members initially appeared to prefer Tramutola as their consultant, as did most of the district staff members whose opinions were solicited.

"I think Berry's chemistry will work with this community, but I think Tramutola will win," president, Randy Shumway said.

After further discussion, the board members instead unanimously selected Berry for the campaign, stating that while they felt either could win, Berry's personality would mesh better with a campaign committee in Dublin.

"I really think that the community has to gel with our consultant," Trustee Eric Swalwell said.

Money may have had something to do with the choice also.

Berry said he felt the committee would need to raise

$65,000 to $70,000 for the campaign, with his firm taking $30,000.

Tramutola estimated a need to raise $70,000 to

$120,000, with his firm taking $30,000 to $65,000.

The pair's track records are similar, with both having won about 95 percent of the elections they consulted, although Tramutola did confidently offer the district a 100 percent guarantee.

"If we don't win, we'll do your next one for free," he said.

What ultimately seemed to win over board members were Berry's more people-friendly strategies.

He told the board that not only was it important to get parents to vote for the measure, but to convince all residents of the measure's benefits.

If schools are better, he said, property values may be better along with less juvenile crime.

Berry also emphasized putting faces with the measure, and not just students in school, but getting local Democrats and Republicans to support it, along with fiscally minded people and teachers.

"Those show the community leaders and opinion leaders that everybody's on board," he said.

Berry did comment on the fact that the district is getting started late on the campaign, but that it will only make it more exciting.

He said he knew the district had enough time to make it happen when he saw their passion at Tuesday's meeting.

He said he plans to begin meeting with board members today and also to map out campaign strategy with a volunteer committee soon.

"We leave that meeting and we'll never talk about strategy again," Berry said. "It's all about implementation."