Summary: It sounded simple — appointing a group of residents to a committee to look for a project manager who would oversee the planned new Water Recycling Facility, a project that could prove invaluable in assuring that fresh water will remain available in Morro Bay. But some are concerned that the process used to select those residents may expose the new City Council majority to political risks they were not aware of. Those risks may be possible, but that majority of Mayor Jamie Irons, Christine Johnson and Noah Smukler will have the final say over the selection of the project manager, which should provide all the protection they need.
The new majority of the Morro Bay City Council — mayor Jamie Irons, Christine Johnson and Noah Smukler, who set a record by being elected in the primary election, no less, last June 5 — may have allowed holdover Council members Nancy Johnson and George Leage to "upstage" them last Tuesday, April 23, by getting the full Council to change the composition of an important new advisory committee from two resident volunteers to five. Sound inconsequential? Just wait.
Some Irons/Johnson/Smukler supporters are up in arms (well, at least somewhat surprised and not a little disappointed) that the trio would allow rivals, N. Johnson and Leage, to do something with the trio's support that appears to be at least potentially significant. The advisory committee is the Selections Committee, which has the job of picking a project manager for Morro Bay's planned new Water Recycling Facility (remember the "wastewater treatment plant"? Same facility, but the Council changed the name).
They are rivals in the sense that N. Johnson and Leage were cohorts of former mayor Bill Yates and Council member Carla Borchard, all prominent supporters of business-backed candidates and policies who have represented those interests, as have others for many years. Irons, Johnson and Smukler took on that powerful, moneyed wing of Morro Bay politics last year and not only beat them, but beat them in the primary, something that has never been done before in Morro Bay.
What makes their victory even more significant is that the primary was the brainchild of activist-supreme John Barta, who reportedly proposed the primary on grounds it would cost candidates to run in two elections — the primary and the general election (a runoff of sorts) in November, and thereby cost more, which non-business-backed candidates could ill afford. Irons, Johnson, and Smukler turned Barta's scheme on its head.
That trio has been seen by some, if not many, residents as representing "a new day in Morro Bay," alluding to the Barta-types, i.e. N. Johnson, Leage, Yates, Borchard, ex-mayor Janice Peters, et al, some of whom were rejected by voters with N. Johnson and Leage possibly headed for the same fate next year (if they even bother to run again).
The controversy erupted on April 9 when the Council was set to (the agenda called for it) appoint two residents to the Selections Committee. But N. Johnson and Leage popped up with a proposal to appoint five, and despite some uncertainty, they were joined by Irons, Christine Johnson and Smukler in approving five. Appointed were residents Don Boatman, Paul Donnelly, Valerie Levulett, Stephen Shively and Donald Smith. Irons and Christine Johnson and three city staff members will join them on the Committee, which is left with residents outnumbering Council members 5-2, raising some eyebrows and questions about what that imbalance could mean. (See all of the residents' letters applying for appointment to the Committee at Archive Center - Item/1787 starting on page 110.)
Sound like increasing the Selections Committee appointments is all politics? Maybe, but what do N. Johnson, Leage et al have up their sleeves? (It's the old anathema: fear of the unknown.) Their likes have blundered and delayed the development of a new Water Recycling Facility (WRF) for years and at a high price to the city and taxpayers. So why couldn't they do the same with the selection of a project manager — and somehow blame Irons, Johnson, and Smukler for the boondoggle?
Some fear that the Committee, as it is now structured, could support someone undesirable as project manager or delay any appointment.
But that can't happen because Irons, Johnson, and Smukler control the ball — they have the administrative power to change or disregard whatever the Committee recommends and then move ahead as they see fit in the community's best interests. Some apparently are under the impression that whatever the Selections Committee does is all said and done. Wrong.
But N. Johnson and Leage may have the potential, in the interim, to create confusion and infighting that could reflect unfavorably on the Council majority and mar their reputations (Irons may be especially vulnerable because he must run for a second term next year to remain on the Council) as being even-tempered and cooperative.
How could N. Johnson and Leage (and their cohorts) do that? By accusing the Council majority of being uncooperative, unappreciative, and disrespectful of the Committee appointees — if Irons, Johnson and Smukler were to reject or sharply modify the Committee's recommendations. Then N. Johnson and Leage could contest their action, and those two are backed by people making public comment at one or more Council meetings. And you have the concocted confusion and controversy that could hurt Irons/Johnson/Smukler. N. Johnson and Leage have nothing to lose in this regard since most Morro Bay voters overwhelmingly voted for the Council majority and seem unlikely to vote for N. Johnson and Leage again — no matter what.
One resident who closely tracks city government actions, supports the Council majority and speaks for quite a few, expressed this view:
"Another way to look at this is that Nancy and George (who don't operate without instructions) hijacked this — and perhaps the mayor, Christine and Noah feel that the hijacking is a minor annoyance (that can be controlled) compared to the expectation that there will be more difficult hurdles thrown at them as we get closer to the elections. So Irons & Co. held their fire?
Drawing battle lines this early could alienate voters who we want to be on our side. Voters could be turned off by what they see as bickering — too similar to the past regimes. Whereas if voters begin to feel a wider scale of inclusion, they are more apt to want to stay with Jamie, Christine, and Noah. They might also get to the point where they recognize Nancy, George, and Carla (who I think plan to run in '14) — anyone from the past power group — as impediments to their own interests and a more successful town.
Obviously, I have reservations regarding motivating factors behind the last minute demands made by N. Johnson and Leage. We all know who they represent and it isn't us. Yet, Noah, Christine and Jamie won their election handily, defeating the machinations of this same group. With that in mind, I believe that they are capable of guiding the Selections Committee to a timely and appropriate decision.
I also think it's important that we have so many with eyes, ears and minds tuned in, and that we share our observations, alarms and opinions to help Jamie and the Council stay on track." In other words, a lot of supporters are watching and will most likely speak out to counter what the N.Johnson/Leage backers have to say about Irons/Johnson/Smukler at Council meetings."
At the April 25 meeting when the Council reaffirmed its April 9 vote to appoint five residents to the Selections Committee, Smukler admitted he "had been slightly concerned" about creating a Committee with 10 people on it. "I thought a lot about it." But after reviewing the experience and qualifications of the volunteers and talking to all of them, "I feel very strongly they are all committed to working in this process that respects the needs and intent of the community at large to deliver a project on time."
Christine Johnson said the process in which the Council increased the number of residents on the Committee from two to five "was not quite right. We could have done things better." But the process of getting the Committee working should not be delayed, so the Council should move ahead with what it has done.
"We have nothing to apologize for," Nancy Johnson said. She and Leage or the whole Council?
In the aftermath of that meeting, Smukler indicated he thinks the new Council is in the process of turning the City around — now heading in the right direction — and people are beginning to appreciate that.
"Contrary to previous Councils, we are working closely with key regulatory agencies such as the Regional Water Quality Control Board and the Coastal Commission.
"We are committed to building a new Water Recycling Facility (WRF) off the beach and will be implementing an authentic public review process of our options to determine the best fit for our community. Short and long term benefits and costs of the best options will be evaluated.
"We have expanded public comment, project updates and input opportunities including Monday night's WRF "Study Session" which will be broadcast on SLO-Span. (The Study Session was held last Monday night, April 29, attended by 35 people.)
"And, for the first time since I have been involved, we have Council and public representation in the selection process for a key consultant (project manager). The citizens that have been appointed have strong qualifications and experience. The Committee's recommendations will be presented to and approved by the Council in a public forum."
