COLEEN REILLY, San Clemente
Councilmember Gene James is taking a leadership role on city council. Since Mayor Dan Bane resigned, there has been a void of leadership on city council, resulting (often) in 2-2 votes, which have not moved the city forward.
The compromise Gene James made for approving the budget showed real leadership, and this city finally has a budget, even though it was a 3-1 approval vote, with Mayor Pro Tem Laura Ferguson voting against it.
At the last city council meeting, Gene James again took a leadership role by requesting that all the councilmembers work together on policy items, and support the “city pilot,” interim City Manager Erik Sund, and not publicize grievances about closed-session decisions on Facebook, which is not legal.
Unfortunately, Laura Ferguson had, what I believe to be, a meltdown when she feared she would be booted from her position as mayor pro tem. Mayor and mayor pro tem serve at the pleasure of the rest of the city council, as they are not elected positions, and if the rest of the council feels a change is needed, then the council has a right to make a change.
All councilmembers need to effectively communicate with city management and the rest of the council and compromise when needed. Unfortunately, Laura Ferguson chooses email and Facebook only.
She needs to stop campaigning, as the election is over, and start cooperating with city management, staff and other councilmembers, and show real leadership qualities, which have been lacking on her part.
