Posted on Thursday, February 22, 2007

Council Turns Focus to Appointees

RICHMOND: Officials, after criticism over selection of Sandhu, consider altering policy for replacements

By John Geluardi
CONTRA COSTA TIMES

The Richmond City Council has taken steps to prevent the public rancor and mistrust that followed the January appointment to fill a vacant council seat. A new ordinance proposed by Councilman John Marquez would require an appointment candidate to file an application, submit a list of qualifications and participate in a public interview process. Currently, the city charter requires only that the council make an appointment within 60 days of a vacancy.

The council appointed Human Relations Commissioner Harpreet Sandhu on Jan. 16 to finish the two years remaining on Gayle McLaughlin's council seat, which she vacated after she was elected mayor Nov. 7. Dozens of residents harshly criticized the council for not conducting the appointment process in a more public manner. The council chose Sandhu from a field of eight candidates, but a list of those candidates was never released, and none made a statement or had any other kind of public interaction.

The lack of public process had the appearance of a back-room deal in which many voters felt they were being sidestepped for political expediency. "There were so many hard feelings after the appointment," Marquez said at Tuesday night's council meeting. "We need to try and avoid that in the future."

The new law would bring Richmond into line with other Contra Costa County cities such as Concord, Martinez and Pittsburg, which have a similar application and interview process for appointing council members. City staff members will prepare the Richmond ordinance and bring it to the council for further discussion and final approval within the next 60 days.

But it is only democratic window dressing, said McLaughlin, who cast the lone no vote against pursuing the ordinance. "This does not put the appointment decision any closer to the public," she said. "The appointment will still be made by five members of the council, and it will be done behind closed doors." McLaughlin, who favored a charter amendment that would guarantee voter participation, pointed to Berkeley and Oakland, which require special elections for council appointments. [emphasis added]

Supporters of perennial council candidate and longtime activist Cortland "Corky" Booze argued that he should have been appointed because he was the runner-up in the election, losing by 482 votes.

Richmond resident Tarnell Abbott said the charter should be amended to assure that runners-up be appointed because they have been vetted, to some degree, by voters. "One person, one vote," Abbott told the council. "We need to respect the people who vote. That's what we do in this country."

But Vice Mayor Nat Bates said no other city in the Bay Area has such an ordinance or charter requirement. "There's no city, no county or state office in which the appointing officials are not elected officials," said Bates, who endorsed Booze. "I know the Corky situation was unusual and it got very heated, but we have to look at what's best for the city overall."

Reach John Geluardi at 510-262-2787 or jgeluardi@cctimes.com.