Gilroy mayor Don Gage - a man with more than three decades of public service - announced Monday night he will retire at the end of the month.
“I want to let everyone know at this point in time I’m going to retire on the 31st of this December,” the 70-year-old Gage told council members, noting he wanted to spend more time with family. "I really think it’s time I hang up the spurs.”
Councilmember Roland Velasco said there had been rumors over the weekend of Gage's retirement.
Gage was elected in November 2012, for a second time as mayor. He first served as mayor of Gilroy from 1991 to 1997. His current term was scheduled to end November 2016.
Gage said he has been a public servant over the last 34 years. He served as Gilroy city councilman from 1981 to 1991, Santa Clara County Supervisor from 1997 to 2010, and has been a member of the Santa Clara Valley Water District since 2010. Gage grew up on a Gilroy farm. He worked as a project manager at IBM for 30 years.
He says he now wants to devote more his time to wife, Jeanne and his children, and help aging relatives.
“I will miss the council but I think they are on the right path. They are going to do a great job, they have been doing a great job,” Gage said. “I’m looking forward to serving Gilroy in the future just maybe in a different capacity. Maybe as a volunteer.”
