Mayoral Rotation and Councilmember Education Discussed
By Susan Motander
The annual State of the City Address bought up two interesting issues including the mayor’s suggestion that the city return to a rotation system of selecting the mayor from among the council members rather than directly electing someone to the position, and Councilmember Alex Blackburn’s critique of the council itself. Both members of that body used their reports at the meeting on Tuesday to open up a discussion of those issues.
Mayor Tom Adams again raised the issue of returning to the rotation system the council had used until 1980. He pointed out that this would require a vote of the people, not just the council. The mayor requested, and the balance of the council concurred, that staff begin the process of setting up a committee to look into the question and get back to the council.
Blackburn used his time to further explain the remarks he made at the city address. He said it was his intent to urge the members of the council, and he specifically included himself in his remarks, to use greater discipline in setting priorities. He also noted that they needed to be careful not to overload staff “so that projects can be properly completed,” and “to become more vigilant about undue influence.”
He said that he talked to several members of the community and had spent some time over the weekend “brainstorming” with Councilmember Gloria Crudgington, the newest member of the council. He explained that when he came onto the council he was given no education on how to be a councilmember, reflecting that within two months of being elected he was asked to help set a $64 million dollar budget.
He pointed out that this was not fair to the residents or the councilmembers. He said he felt the new councilmembers might be reluctant to take an active role in the process saying that this would give a “disproportionate voice to senior councilmembers.”
It wasps Blackburn’s suggestion that newly elected councilmembers be sent to the California League of City’s 3-day workshop for councils and mayors. He noted that Councilmember Larry Psicer has taken this workshop and Spicer concurred that it had aided him.
By con census of the council, staff was asked to look into this matter and return it to the council for action. Blackburn also suggested continuing education for the entire council pointing out that most professionals had required continuing education.
