Council Member Daniel Harney lives in Gilroy with his wife, Michelle, and their three children, with a fourth due in October. Daniel was first appointed to the Gilroy City Council in December 2015 and is serving his second appointment.
Early Years
Dan Harney was born and raised in Montreal, Canada. In 2001, he immigrated to California for a career opportunity with a large manufacturer in Santa Clara. November 2015, Dan became a naturalized citizen of the United States.
Dan and his wife, Michelle, were married in 2006 and purchased a home in Morgan Hill. Frustrated with how their homeowners association was being managed, Dan stepped into a leadership position on the executive board providing much needed leadership and direction for the community. He developed a five-year strategy to ensure adequate finances were available for monthly operations and for capital improvement projects to repair and replace all community assets.
Moving to Gilroy
In 2011, after the arrival of their second child, Dan and Michelle were looking for a new home and community to raise their young children. Their search criteria included a community with a strong public safety record, excellent schools along with a parks and recreation program that would expose their children to a diversity of people and experiences. It was only natural that they settled on Gilroy since the town reminded Daniel so much of his home town, Candiac, Quebec.
Joining Council
Dan has always taken a strong interest in local government and made his entry into Gilroy politics in 2015. He was appointed to fill the remaining term when Council Member Woodward was appointed to Mayor. In 2016, Dan was re-appointed to the Gilroy City Council to serve the remaining two year term when Mayor Velasco was elected. Dan was unanimously voted Mayor Pro Tempore by the mayor and council members in January 2018.
Harney For Council 