06 Staff Report.Poet Laureate
PREPARED BY: Ryan Baker
Library Director
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, and Town Attorney
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● (408) 354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 12/19/2023 ITEM NO: 6
DATE: December 11, 2023
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Laurel Prevetti, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Appoint William Ward Butler to the Honorary Position of Town Poet Laureate
to Serve a Three-Year Term Beginning in January of 2024
RECOMMENDATION:
Appoint William Ward Butler to the honorary position of Town Poet Laureate to serve a three-
year term beginning in January of 2024.
BACKGROUND:
The Town of Los Gatos Poet Laureate is an honorary position first established in 2010 to further
the appreciation and advancement of poetry and literary arts in Los Gatos. The Poet Laureate
serves a three-year term and is selected through an open call for applications and competitive
selection process. This year, the selection panel included Mayor Ristow, Arts and Culture
Commissioner Colantoni, Library Board Commissioner Lowe, and Youth Commissioner Bagora.
DISCUSSION:
The selection panel recommends William Ward Bulter for appointment to the honorary
position.
William Ward Butler is a writer and educator living in Los Gatos, California. He is the author of
the poetry chapbook Life History from Ghost City Press and holds a master’s degree in
education from UC Santa Cruz. He has received support from the Napa Valley Writers’
Conference, the Catamaran Writing Conference, and the Community of Writers. He is a poetry
reader for TriQuarterly, the literary magazine of Northwestern University, and the poetry editor
of Frozen Sea.
PAGE 2 OF 2 SUBJECT: Appoint William Ward Butler to the Honorary Position of Town Poet Laureate DATE: December 11, 2023
DISCUSSION (continued):
If appointed, William Ward Butler will serve a three-year term which will begin on January 1,
2024 and end on December 31, 2026. The first ceremonial appearance of the Poet Laureate at
a Council meeting traditionally is in April, coinciding with National Poetry Month.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no anticipated fiscal impact associated with the appointment of the Poet Laureate and
its programs and projects.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.
Attachments:
1. Selected Poems of William Ward Butler