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San Leandro council confirms appointments and selects new vice mayor after dispute over StopWaste seat
Summary
The San Leandro City Council approved a slate of committee and agency appointments including the transfer of the city’s StopWaste seat to Council member Bowen, and later selected Bowen as vice mayor, following extended debate about courtesy and process.
San Leandro City Council members approved a set of intergovernmental appointments after a contested discussion about the removal of Vice Mayor Simon from the Alameda County StopWaste board and later designated Council member Bowen as vice mayor.
The appointments came to a head after Vice Mayor Simon said he had not been contacted about his removal from StopWaste. "I was not reached out to by council member Bowen or by the mayor regarding being pulled from this position," Simon said during the meeting. Council members debated whether removals from outside boards required prior notice or additional consultation.
Mayor Gonzales moved the appointments listed on agenda item 5d, which included reassigning the Alameda County StopWaste appointment to Council member Bowen. The motion was seconded and passed 4 yes, 1 no and 2 abstentions. The roll call recorded: Mayor Gonzales, yes; Council member Bolt, yes; Council member Bowen, yes; Vice Mayor Simon, no; Council member Aguilar, abstain; Council member Azevedo, abstain; Council member Viveiros Walton, yes.
Council members and members of the public framed objections in terms of process and courtesy rather than the substantive work of StopWaste. Vice Mayor Simon said he had experience with recycling and Sanitary District work and asked to remain on the committee, saying he has "institutional knowledge" and was starting a leadership role there. Council members Aguilar and Acevedo argued that continuity and institutional memory matter for effective representation. Council member Viveiros Walton and others said Bowen is qualified and that rotating seats can broaden council experience.
Following the appointments debate, the council moved to designate a vice mayor for a one-year term under City Charter Section 310. The council held nominations and a public hearing on the process; several members referred to a council handbook provision that defines seniority by date sworn into office. After nominations and discussion, the council voted to select Council member Bowen as vice mayor. A revote was held; the final tally on the vice mayor designation was 5 yes, 1 no and 1 abstention (Mayor Gonzales, yes; Council member Bolt, yes; Council member Bowen, yes; Vice Mayor Simon, no; Council member Aguilar, abstain; Council member Azevedo, yes; Council member Viveiros Walton, yes).
The votes followed heated but procedural exchanges on how the council should manage appointments and rotation for leadership roles. Council member Bowen said she would like clearer adherence to the process and urged colleagues to "respect the city charter and please respect the process." Vice Mayor Simon said he had proposed rotation to ensure fairness but felt the process had not been followed in the StopWaste reassignment.
The council also approved the remainder of the consent calendar without item 5d earlier in the meeting by unanimous vote.
Looking ahead, several council members asked staff to review appointment procedures and the council handbook language to reduce future misunderstandings and to return with clarifications as needed.
