Farewell to Tracy Ferrara

WE ARE OPEN

Sevy’s Bar + Kitchen is getting a fresh facelift!

Join us daily as we continue to offer farm-fresh cuisine, classic cocktails, live entertainment, and a friendly face at every table.

7500 Old Dominion Court Aptos, California 95003 831.688.8987 | Seacliffinn.com @SevysBarAndKitchen

COMMUNITY NEWS

Farewell to Tracy Ferrara

For 33 years, Tracy Ferrara has been a beacon of consistency in Scotts Valley City Hall, always looking for ways to make things better.

She’s held several roles, administrative analyst, deputy city clerk and for the last 17 years city clerk, in charge of Scotts Valley city elections, and preparing agendas and minutes for twice-a-month City Council meetings, which in the Covid era have taken place via Zoom.

She was the point person for business owners, city employees and residents needing assistance during the CZU lightning fire and the Covid pandemic.

She’s worked with five city managers and 23 council members.

All that comes to a close when she retires March 4.

Her entire career has been in government service. She spent 18 months with the city of Santa Cruz, 7 1/2 years with the city of Watsonville, and 22 years with the California Army National Guard, retiring in 2001 as a sergeant first class.

She’s been recognized by congressional representatives, the U.S. Census Bureau, the City Clerks Association of

Tracy Ferrara

California and of course, the Scotts Valley City Council.

For Ferrara, Scotts Valley has been a good place to work, a city of 12,000 with a community feeling.

She just turned 60, and she wants to spend more time with her 2-year-old grandson.

In fact, she told the council a year ago that she wanted to retire, but she stayed on, thiniing she could train her successor.

A successor has yet to be announced.

No doubt Tracy Ferrara will be missed. n

Photo Credit: My Scotts Valley

Recruiting Update

Applications closed Feb. 25 for the job as Scotts Valley city clerk.

The salary range is $93,630 to $125,480, depending on experience.

Under the direction of the City Manager, the city clerk manages, organizes, and retains records of City actions; record and process meeting minutes for City Council meetings; and provide a wide variety of administrative and managerial services.

Essential duties include serving as a liaison between the public and the City Council, coordinating the preparation and distribution of meeting agendas and minutes, managing the production of City Council meetings, processing resolutions and ordinances adopted by the City Council, preparing and maintaining custody of all official records, serving as the City’s election official in coordination with the County, receiving and opening bids, responding to public records requests, providing notary services for the City. n

“Buffalo Soldiers” from page 2

Until 1913 the soldiers managed and protected Yosemite, Sequoia and General Grant National Parks, becoming the first park rangers.

In 1903, Colonel Charles Young, one of only three Black men who graduated from West Point was sent to lead the Buffalo Soldiers at Sequoia in building roads, trails, buildings, and fighting forest fires.

Colonel Young was the highest ranking Black officer and the first Black superintendent of Sequoia National Park.

Under his leadership, the troops also built the first trail climbing Mt. Whitney and created the Yosemite Arboretum, the first museum in the National Park Service.

Many of their contributions to the parks still stand today. n •••

Aniko Kannan-Millan is a retired park ranger, now serving as parks and programs specialist with the nonprofit County Park Friends. See www.countyparkfriends.org/didyouknow