Sebastappeal By Sarah Glade Gurney - January 2019
Selecting the Council’s Leadership Team
Congratulations to Sebastopol’s new Mayor Neysa Hinton and Vice Mayor Patrick Slayter.
The protocol for the City Council to select its leadership team is the same as it is for the Council to take any action: by a motion, a second to the motion, and vote. The majority rules.
Former Mayor Patrick Slayter explained the process on December 4, 2018, when he introduced the agenda item about choosing his replacement and the next Vice Mayor. Just as it does every December, the Council followed this process to select its leadership team this time around.
There is no "entitlement" to become the Mayor or Vice Mayor. The Council selects its leadership anew each year. There is no “tradition” about who is chosen, as history demonstrates. Leadership roles cannot—and do not—“rotate” to each of the five Council Members.
Please consider: with the election of two seats in presidential years and three seats in the midterms, rotation “so everybody gets a turn” is impossible. The candidate with the most votes in the election does not automatically become the Mayor. The Council picks its leadership team at the first meeting each December following this long-held protocol.
Ideas about “rotation,” “entitlement,” and “tradition” are misinformed. They reveal ignorance of our democratic process. It’s a disservice and an injury to our community to become enraged or to enrage people by spreading misinformation.
Zero Waste
Since its Zero Waste Study Session last September, the Council has initiated a public discussion about the adoption of best practices to reduce our waste stream. “Walking the talk,” City Staff hosted two zero waste events in December: the public reception for the newly installed Council Members and the City’s holiday luncheon. Terry, who works at City Hall’s front counter, reported that the effort started with the purchase of reusable tableware, flatware, cups, table clothes and cloth napkins.
A New Year’s Resolution
Local activist, Sunny Galbraith, offers some easy tips to help households move towards zero waste in 2019.
Free educational Tenants’ Rights Clinic
January 24—5:30 to 7:30 PM—Community Church
The Sonoma County Tenants Union will host a free educational Tenants’ Rights Clinic. The evening will feature an educational presentation on tenants’ rights and responsibilities and one-on-ones with attorneys from Legal Aid of Sonoma County. Spanish translation, child care and food are provided. Contact: Beatrice Camacho 707.479.5475 at the North Bay Organizing Project.
Community/Parade Entrants!
We want to advise our community of our 2019 Theme: "It Takes a Village to Blossom". Celebrating the Rich Diversity of OUR Community!
We are reaching out to invite your involvement in next years' Apple Blossom Festival. We encourage your participation by partaking in the parade and showing off/demonstrating your float based on the role you play in our community, i.e. agriculture, non-profit, charitable partner, retail/commercial, etc.
