Bill McCrone's Biography

I believe that my background, education, and experience are very relevant to my qualifications for election the City Council and have therefore set them forth at length here. Although I have never before run for public office, I have a lifetime of public service and achievement to draw upon in carrying out the public trust. I hope you will take the time to consider my unique qualifications.

On the other hand, I find talking about myself to be exceedingly boring (you may find a few grins in here, but you have to read carefully). So feel free to move on to other areas of the website discussing my ideas for Monterey.

• Childhood

• College / Leadership Training

• Military Service

• Postgraduate

• Business Experience

• Community Service

• City Service

• Other Organizations

I grew up as an Army brat, born 1946 in Washington D.C. soon after my father returned from Europe. He rose to Colonel after starting as an Army Captain stationed at Scholfield Barracks, HA on December 7, 1941. He then served for the duration of WW II in all of the European campaigns. His example of sacrifice and service to country have always been an inspiration to me.

We moved around as career military families do, living from Galveston, Texas to a far away as Versailles, France, during my childhood. But several of my father's assignments in the Washington area led me to claim Virginia as my home after graduating high school in Arlington, Virginia in 1964.

I entered the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York on July 1, 1964. Among the many memorable experiences of my Cadet career were: being taught tennis by Hall of Famers Arthur Ashe and Stan Smith; being coached in football by the then obscure Stormin' Norman Schwartzkopf; and participating in a National Security seminar taught by Heisman Trophy winner Pete Dawkins; and helping to steal the Navy's goat in 1967. They made us give it back, and unfortunately we lost the game that year.

West Point provided me with the finest leadership training in the world. My course of study led to a Bachelor of Science Degree (primarily math major) when I graduated in 1968 in the top 25% of my class. I was commissioned a 2nd Lt. in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, where I served for three years.

After successful completion of Ranger School and the Engineer course, I received my first assignment to the 193d Infantry Brigade in the Canal Zone, Panama. Rising to the rank of Captain during my 18 months stationed there, my duties included service as a platoon leader, executive officer, brigade supply officer, and miscellaneous duties including travel all over South America as a staff officer for a provisional military strike force designed to react to emergencies affecting our embassies there.

I was ordered to Vietnam in August 1970. I was initially assigned as Operations Officer for the 27th Combat Engineer Battalion in Camp Eagle (101st Airborne Division), replacing a friend who had been wounded less than a week before I arrived. Although I felt somewhat overwhelmed to be directing the combat and engineering operations of a 1200 man battalion at the tender age of 24, I grew into the job and was awarded a Bronze Star for my achievements for the three months until my friend returned from convalescence.

Our area of operation in Vietnam was Northern I Corps: from Danang in the South to the DMZ in the North; from the coast (named by author Bernard Fall as "The Street Without Joy") to the Ashau Valley in the West. My battalion built and maintained roads, bridges, airfields, and embattlements associated with the numerous firebases defending the area, and was the primary engineer reaction force to enemy interdiction and sabotage.

In December 1970, I was reassigned for the remainder of my tour of duty as Commanding Officer of the 591st Combat Engineer Company (LE) which provided equipment and construction support to the battalion and the 101st in the same area of operations. I performed my first community service project while CO of the 591st, construction of an orphanage for a Christian missionary in Hue in the Spring of 1971. I have often wondered what happened to it after the fall of South Vietnam in 1975.

Another of my responsibilities was the operation of a rock quarry, and a small railroad for a couple of months. The latter experiment ended when enemy activity made maintenance of the track too difficult, and an immovable water buffalo derailed the locomotive. The water buffalo walked away, but the locomotive is still there lying on its side, for all I know.

On January 30, 1971, I was given command of a company sized task force with orders to open a tactical road from Khe Sanh to the Laotian border at the point of the Allied invasion of Laos (Operation Lam Son 719 to interdict the Ho Chi Minh Trail). Given only 24 hours notice of the operation (D-Day minus 1), I quickly organized and led a nighttime assault back into Khe Sanh, which the Allies had not occupied for two years.

Operating independently west of Khe Sanh, in an area that saw some of the heaviest fighting of the war, my task force completed it mission ahead of schedule. We then stepped aside at the border to allow the South Vietnamese Army to carry out the invasion. I was awarded the Bronze Star for Heroism in Ground Combat for my conduct during that mission.

I completed my tour in Vietnam with three Bronze Stars and three Campaign ribbons.

I arrived home from Vietnam in August 1971, and entered the University of Virginia School of Law the next day. It was an exciting time and Mr. Jefferson's University was a stimulating environment, with many contacts with people involved in the investigation of the nearby Watergate break-in. Among my classmates were two future Governors of, and U.S. Senators from, Virginia - Chuck Robb and George Allen Jr.

I graduated in June 1974 in the top 25% of my class and re-entered the Army to fulfill my original West Point service obligation (3 more years). I was assigned with the Judge Advocate General's Corps to Ft. Ord. I served as Senior Defense Counsel for two years, supervising the criminal defense services provided by six lawyers to a military population in excess of 10,000 young men. I personally tried over 100 cases, about 40 of which were jury trials. I then served for one year as Chief of Legal Assistance with the 7th Infantry Division.

My experience with the military will be an important asset to work with the military in our community, and my early career as an engineer gives me unique qualifications to understand some of the problems facing Monterey.

Although I had several law firm job offers from San Francisco and Virginia, I decided there was nowhere I would rather settle than the Monterey Peninsula, like so many others who were first introduced to the area by service at Ft. Ord. So I resigned from the Army in July 1977 and started a law practice in Carmel with two friends from the JAG office. My personal practice evolved into the areas of real estate, business and estate planning. I became the managing partner of the firm, which grew to five lawyers and 10 staff in six years.

My real estate expertise enabled me to participate as a general partner with long time Monterey residents Margie Purcell, Don Edgren, Doug Chandler, and Dave Wald to design and build a small residential subdivision on Martin Street in Monterey known as Mira Bella Oaks. We purchased and preserved the historic house once owned by Herbert Hoover (before he became President), while building 5 single family homes around it. The design was sensitive to the historic site, and the preservation of trees around the new buildings was a model at the time. The project won an award from the City. Those of you who have visited the home of Don and Margie know very well the quality of this project, of which we are very proud. The project was designed by McCord & Wald and built by Doug Chandler. I'm no longer exactly sure what my contribution was, but I claim credit anyway. My wife and I ended up living in one of the houses for 5 years, and we were married in the Hoover House (now the "Edgren-Purcell House").

In 1983, I decided to leave the law practice to pursue an entrepreneurial opportunity as the General Partner of an R&D partnership to develop a cost efficient chemical means to derive hydrogen gas fuel from water by a patented process. As President of the Omnia Research Corporation, I organized the experimental development, which was conducted in Marina with mostly local capital. An operating devise was designed, constructed and successfully tested in Phase one. Unhappily, we were not able to obtain the planned phase two investment capital, and the project was terminated in 1985.

I resumed my law practice as a sole practitioner in 1985, and have been a self-employed attorney ever since. My office is in downtown Monterey on Hartnell in a potentially historic building (at least it is old), where I have been for 12 years. I specialize in business and real estate law, and maintain my proficiency in Estate Planning.

Currently, about half of my time is devoted to litigation, but that seems to vary with the economy. My clients are mostly local small businesses and real estate brokers with whom I have long relationships (although I did represent Chase Manhattan Bank once!). I never accept employment adverse to the City, nor requiring an appearance before the City of Monterey Boards and Commissions.

With a growing family about to begin school, I decided in 1985 to become more involved in my community. I completed Leadership Monterey Peninsula in 1986, a valuable introduction to the non-profit and public sectors of the Peninsula.

In 1987, I joined the Board of Directors of the Family Resource Center, a non-profit charitable corporation dedicated to the prevention and treatment of child abuse, with facilities in Seaside and Salinas. I was elected President of the Board in 1989, and organized a capital campaign to raise $650,000 in charitable donations to design and build a dedicated facility on Broadway in Seaside. The capital campaign was successful in one year and the new facility was built as planned. FRC has since merged into the Family Services Agency, but the facility is still in use helping in the battle against child abuse.

After leaving that Board, I became involved with my children's activities with Scouting - Brownies, Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. I agreed to be Chairman of Cub Pack 38, affiliated with Monte Vista Elementary School, in 1996. Under my leadership, the Pack grew from 25 boys to 60. I am very proud of the enhancements that we made to the experience of these boys, age 7 to 11, including overnight camping with parents, and overnight trips to Alcatraz, the U.S.S. Pompanito in San Francisco, and the U.S.S. Wasp in Oakland.

I have been active with Boy Scout Troop 2, of the Presidio, since both of my sons are members. I am very proud that my older son Jack will soon be receiving his Eagle Scout award.

I volunteered to manage my first Pinto team (Monterey Pony Baseball) in 1993, coaching my older son and 12 other 7-8 year olds in the Spring that year and the next. I love Baseball. Teaching and sharing my love of the game with the boys was probably more rewarding to me than them.

I managed another two years Pinto when my younger son turned 7, and I'm proud to say that almost all of my kids went on to become all-stars in Mustang or Bronco. I managed two more years for his Mustang team (age 9 - 10), First National Bank. I have also coached on my kids' other teams, including my daughter's softball.

I have never had a problem making the time necessary to leave my office at 3:30 pm or so to help kids play baseball and softball. Making this a priority is both a luxury and a privilege of living and working in our beautiful city.

PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION:
I began community service with the City of Monterey in 1986 when Clyde Roberson asked me to serve on the Sports Center (then known as the ìSwim/Gymî) Study Committee, as a community volunteer. Soon thereafter I was appointed to the Parks and Recreation Commission, and served until July 1997, including two years as Chairman. I participated in every aspect of the feasibility study, location, design, construction, fund raising, and initial operation plan for the Sports Center. I can recall much negative testimony during the planning stages, but we persevered and the result is a nearly self-supporting community facility that improves the health and spirits of our citizens, and is a veritable jewel of the City.

During my tenure on the Parks & Recreation Commission, many park projects were designed and completed. In addition to the Sports Center, we designed and built Window on the Bay (phase I and Master Plan); San Carlos Beach Park; improvements to Jacks Park, the Recreation Trail, Dennis the Menace Park, Presidio ball fields, Bay view and Monte Vista School, Monterey High School lower fields, Larkin School Park, Via Paraiso Park, Camp Quien Sabe, Whispering Pines Park, Hilltop Community Center and Park, CONA Community Center and Park, and the Skate Board park at Lake El Estero. It is a record of accomplishment for which we are justifiably proud and the quality of life of our citizens has been demonstrably improved.

I am particularly proud of San Carlos Beach Park. I persuaded the commission to move ahead with construction even though we did not have funding to complete it. I argued that we would find it in time to finish the project, and I was right. As a result, the park opened a year earlier that originally planned, and is now one of the premier parks in our city, and a destination beach for novice scuba divers from all over the West Coast.

I am also very proud of the Skateboard Park. I began advocating that the City create such a park in the late 80's. The City Council prohibited skateboards from the recreation trail, but left avid skateboarder with no other place to practice their sport besides the street, which was dangerous and illegal. There was also a prejudice against skateboarders, who were reputed to be rude and rebellious. Finally, the city attorney and Council were concerned about liability.

I am no great fan of the sport, but it is legitimate exercise and a useful activity to keep our Youth occupied, out of trouble, and most importantly, out of the street. After several years I was able to persuade a majority of the Commission and the Council to address the problem. We found the site and the money, and the park was built just as I left the Commission. I see that the park continues to receive heavy use, although I am disappointed to see that helmet requirements are not enforced (City service cutbacks) and that bike riders are apparently not allowed at the park. They need a place for their jumps and tricks too.

NIP COMMITTEE:
I helped to organize the Old Town Neighborhood Association (OTNA), and was a member of its original Board (1989?). After its organization, I was its first representative to the Neighborhood Improvement Committee (NIP). After serving two years, the City Council decided that a citizen could not be on two commission/committees, so I elected to resign from the NIP and continue my service on Parks & Rec.

I came away with the highest regard for this innovative program, which may be unique in the whole country. There are a lot of politics in the voting and selection of neighborhood projects for funding, but the system works remarkably well in bringing improvements that our neighborhoods need and want. The Committee has also been extremely generous in allocating funding to Citywide projects like the Sports Center, San Carlos Beach Park, and the Skateboard Park, among many other citywide projects.

I am confident that the Committee will cooperate with a City Council request for capital maintenance spending next year, should the need arise. We are not in an emergency, and with or without the sales tax increase, I would not vote to overrule the committee discretion to allocate NIP funds.

PLANNING COMMISSION:
I was asked to submit my name for appointment to the Planning Commission in June 1997. The commission had developed a reputation of being very difficult to deal with, for applicants, staff, and the public, alike. Some commissioners had their own semi-hidden personal agendas, and the Commission was justifiably criticized as abusive and lacking fairness.

I joined the Commission in July 1997, and found the criticisms to be true. Meetings were tense and contentious, and certain commissioners wasted much time with attempts to perform or impede staff work, which is not the role of a commissioner. Incredibly, one commissioner even refused to accept my election as Chairman, in a direct challenge to the City Council. It goes without saying that Commissioners are supposed to follow City Council policy and decision, not overrule it.

I played a publicized role as Chairman in cleaning up these abuses, which ended when two commissioners were removed for cause by the Council in January 1999. Thereafter talented commissioners who understand and observe their duties as commissioners have been appointed, and the Planning Commission is now a collegial body that considers the matters before it with fairness and respect for those who appear before it.

Since appointment to the commission, I have rarely missed a meeting and have performed the publicís business with diligence. We have reviewed major EIR's and projects such as the Cannery Row Marketplace, the Ocean View Plaza, the Catellus Master Plan, the Del Monte Theaters, the Cannery Row Local Plan and Historic District, the Del Monte Beach Seawall, and the Cannery Row Hotel extension.

I am neither pro nor anti development. My criterion for decision-making as a Commissioner is "What are the City's best interests ?" One cannot disapprove a project based upon a personal dislike or because "we don't need it". I will continue to observe those guidelines if elected to council.

Some may disagree with my votes or the decisions of the Commission on these and other projects. But with rare exceptions, all were proposed in accordance with pre-existing plans for the orderly and beneficial development of the City. I am proud of the Commission's work to obtain the best project to be had for the City, in accordance with our plans, the legal requirements, and with respect for the rights of the private property owner. Staff is also to be commended for its continuing excellent work, although short-handed and overburdened. We unquestionably have the best City staff in the County, if not the State.

The Rotary Club of Monterey, member since 1996 (member of Rotary International since 1979).

Chairman of the Local Selective Service Board since 1994. (Bet you didn't know this existed, and no one under the age of forty probably knows what it is) I hope that my training for this Federal Service will never be utilized.

Member, Monterey History and Art Association (past Board Member).