Marin Voice: What I learned from being elected to serve on the Tiburon Town Council
Long ago, I had concluded it was easier writing about issues than solving them. After all, I had run and lost for supervisor seats in both Marin County and San Francisco.
Nonetheless, when then Tiburon Mayor Alice Fredericks asked me to host a town hall meeting following an incident at the Yema store – where a Black store owner on Main Street refused to identify himself to police while stocking shelves after hours – resulting in big changes at the Tiburon Police Department, I had to give more thought to becoming involved in local politics.
Following the incident, the town formed a Diversity Inclusion Task Force. The body included five citizens and the five town councilmembers. I was appointed.
After a year of hourlong monthly meetings, it seemed more could be accomplished on the council than on the committee. An opening occurred. I threw my hat in the ring. With the support of like-minded backers, a team of professional consultants, a host of volunteers and the dedicated assistance of the Councilmember Holli Their, we embarked on a three-month campaign of door-to-door canvassing, phone-calling, individual and group endorsement-seeking.
It was exhilarating. We outraised and outspent our nearest competitor by a factor of nine. Major endorsements flooded in. We won handily, achieving more votes than the other three candidates combined.
Everyone in Tiburon, to their credit, kept the campaign on a high level. Only once in my entire time knocking on doors did anyone see a Black person at the door and run away (then again, she may have just been busy).
When I stood waving outside a borrowed 1968 Volkswagen van festooned with banners with my name on either side, not one driver even flipped me the bird.
I put my experience in sharp contrast to what San Anselmo Councilmember Brian Colbert, who is Black, had to deal with when a resident left threatening voicemails for Colbert.
What I learned by campaigning door to door was invaluable. Constituents weren’t afraid to voice their concerns about how the town was run: the good, the bad and how things could be improved.
I felt empowered to act on their behalf. What I learned from serving on the council is how fortunate the town is to have hardworking, dedicated professionals both on the council and on the staff. They really care.
What was most gratifying was to be able to take constituent concerns to staff, have them addressed and often resolved satisfactorily.
If I could wave a magic wand, I would like to see more deference given to staff and advisory boards who often, after putting in hours of due diligence, have their recommendations overturned or sent back. That is the council’s prerogative, but it can be discouraging.
I also believe that an earlier start time for council meetings would not only benefit the council but the constituents. Going back to in-person meetings with 6:30 p.m. start times (lasting, on average, four to five hours) may not produce the best judgments and is tough on staff who have already put in a full day.
What I valued the most was the way in which opponents conducted themselves. When the hardest fought races were done, there were no hard feelings. It was over and all parties were committed to doing what was best for the constituents.
I have stepped down from my position on the Tiburon Town Council to help my wife through some unexpected and serious health challenges. I appreciated and will always value my time as a candidate and as a Town Council member.