City Mayoral Succession Crisis Averted at
11th Hour
• Compromise or Coup—It’s
All Political Gamesmanship in the Council Chambers
While some called it a compromise and said
it was self-sacrificing, others said it was politically savvy.
Another insider called it a political retreat. Whatever the
spin, there was no doubt that Councilmember Sharon
Barovsky took the center stage at this week’s Malibu
City Council reorganization meeting when a potentially
tumultuous tug-of-war about who would be mayor was averted.
The largely ceremonial post went to the
most recent top vote-getter, incumbent Pamela Conley Ulich.
Just days earlier, Councilmember Andy Stern had said he
thought he was going to be mayor.
Barovsky said she wanted “to offer an
olive branch to what appears to be a divided community,”
and proposed a scheme to allow every member of the council an
equal time to serve as mayor, except herself.
“To accomplish this, I will move that
each council member serve as mayor for 9.6 months, starting
with Pam. Andy will succeed Pam, and I will then serve for only
4.8 months until my term ends. Shorting my term will put the
council on a continuous 9 .6-month track, which can remain in
effect for every succeeding council,” said Barovsky.
“My proposal gives everyone an equal time to serve,
except for my term, which will be shortened by almost five
months. So I’m not asking anyone but myself to
sacrifice time as mayor.”
Barovsky went on to say she realized
speakers were primed to talk passionately on who should be
sworn in as mayor, and she had received e-mails on the subject
that ran almost 50-50 on who that person should be.
“Unfortunately, the anger that may be
displayed tonight could set the tone for the future of this
council, and that would be sad because good government can only
be achieved through consensus and civic debate,”
Barovsky said.
While rumors had blown across town, as well
as e-mails about an ever-growing struggle over who would carry
out mayoral duties, it was on Monday night when the outgoing
council had assembled that it was apparent the struggle had
spilled over into the public arena.
The giveaway was when outgoing Mayor Jeff
Jennings was organizing speaker slips and he told the audience
that those who wanted to speak “on the election
matter” should say so, and he read out all of the names
of those who were signed up to speak on the sensitive topic.
Before that could happen, Conley
Ulich, who was sitting in the mayor’s seat when the tenth
city council convened, said she had been asked by Barovsky to
make her proposal.
Apparently the struggle began when there
was some behind-the-scenes debate about how the succession of
the largely ceremonial role would be handled this time around.
Barovsky’s words clearly indcated the
fight over who would be mayor had escalated into a heated
debate and there were many who came to the council chambers to
take the fight public.
What remains unknown is if Barovsky
had not stepped into the fray in the way that she did who would
have had the three votes to carry out the nomination of either
Conley Ulich or Stern.
After Barovsky’s remarks,
Conley Ulich asked speakers to come forward and the
tenor of their testimony appeared to have changed dramatically
from what they were originally prepared to say.
Longtime resident David Kagon may have
best summed up the sentiment. “What Sharon did tonight
took all the steam I had for tonight. She removed what might
have been a discordant note,” he said.
Planning Chair Regan Schaar, who was
appointed to the panel by Conley Ulich, praised the outcome and
said it was the “perfect compromise.”
Former Planning Commissioner
Richard Carrigan thanked Barovsky. “I was concerned about
an atmosphere of angryness and bitterness.”
Political activist and frequent council
critic Steve Uhring said, “Pam, you have the right to be
mayor. The compromise is a good one.”
Speaking as a citizen, former Councilmember
Ken Kearsley downplayed the importance of the mayoral
role. “It is a nothing job. You cut ribbons,” he
said.
The new council members were next to
make their thoughts known on the first action of the tenth
council. “This is not the first time the council has
taken the step and shorted the term. It makes a whole lot of
sense. It is good idea,” said Councilmember John
Sibert.
Councilmember Jefferson Wagner said he
appreciated the leadership role Barovsky played in the
matter. “Thank you Sharon. I have seen the olive
branch of the future. I look forward to support you in your
efforts, and I hope you support our efforts,” he added.
Conley Ulich was the last to comment,
“The brilliant Sharon came up with a plan to save
the day to unite the community, giving of yourself for
others. You have brought love to the room. I’m
feeling a lot of love in the room. I love, you, I love
you, I love you, Sharon,” she said.
With that, Stern, who had said little,
nominated Conley Ulich who was unanimously chosen and then
Conley Ulich nominated Stern as mayor pro tem.
By this time, half the council chambers had
emptied and the oath of office was given to the new mayor and
mayor pro tem.
