Democracy, San Juan style
Talk about a study in contrasts.
On Monday, members of the Hollister City Council met to swear in
three members
– incumbent Doug Emerson, Ray Friend and Victor Gomez.
But the real drama was in the selection of a new mayor. In
Hollister, the mayoral position is mostly honorary, a designation
that, by casual agreement, is rotated through council members. The
mayor presides at meetings, and occupies the center seat at the
City Hall dais, but possesses no special powers.
Democracy, San Juan style
Talk about a study in contrasts.
On Monday, members of the Hollister City Council met to swear in three members – incumbent Doug Emerson, Ray Friend and Victor Gomez.
But the real drama was in the selection of a new mayor. In Hollister, the mayoral position is mostly honorary, a designation that, by casual agreement, is rotated through council members. The mayor presides at meetings, and occupies the center seat at the City Hall dais, but possesses no special powers.
Tradition would have dictated that newcomer Gomez get the seat, as his District 5 area was next in rotation. But council members agreed that the seat should go to someone with recent experience in parliamentary procedure and city affairs, and the council unanimously moved Eugenia Sanchez into the seat, with Gomez as vice-mayor. That leaves Gomez as the almost-certain pick for mayor in 12 months.
The whole process was accomplished without drama and with refreshingly collegial accord.
Nine miles away, in San Juan Bautista, the council met Tuesday night to mend the chaos that Councilman Robert Paradice created with his abrupt resignation on Nov. 4, election day.
Paradice said he thought he’d accomplished what he needed to, and he chose the timing of his resignation to forego citizens the cost of a special election. Had he decided to quit mid-term a few months before the election, the decision about who to appoint to his seat might have rested with the voters.
As small as San Juan is, this is a critical time for effective leadership. The town is grappling with the most ambitious public works project in its history, a complete reworking of its water system. The town’s daily affairs are still being handled by an interim city manager after the town cycled through three others in as many years.
With four applicants for appointment to Paradice’s seat, the council selected Andy Moore, who works as safety coordinator for the Pajaro Valley Unified School District. The council overlooked Jim Pereyra, the only one among the four who took the trouble to run in November, and the runner-up to Rick Edge and Maggie Bilich, both of whom were elected to the council Nov. 4.
Without calling Moore’s motives or credentials into question, it appears something less than aboveboard is working in San Juan Bautista.
Two years ago, Jeff Bagley, then a city public works employee, ran for the council and was elected. But Bagley opted not to take the seat, because it would have required him to resign from his job.
That allowed the council to appoint Edge, who has proven himself as an able, effective leader.
Paradice’s ill-timed resignation allowed the council majority again to select their chosen candidate, the will of the electorate be damned.
Is that democracy, San Juan style?
