Council: Keep doing good work; No special election
On Nov. 5, 2020, we congratulated in a letter to this newspaper the newly elected Del Mar City Council and urged them to approach their stewardship with humility and civility. They largely achieved that goal with some notable exceptions and reached laudable consensus votes during their four years. In fact, more than 90% of votes in 2024 were mostly unanimous or a few by 4-1. This was because of the good judgement of council members as well as competent preparatory staff work followed by reviews and guidance of the altruistic residents who serve on committees and boards. For this effective leadership the city council deserves an “A” grade.
We now offer suggestions on how they may continue good work and avoid needless detours.
The council’s performance was marred by unnecessary discord and distraction. Once again we urge all council members to approach their service with respect toward each other even in the face of inevitable differences. That civility is the essence of the democratic process. Council members propose, discuss, negotiate, and vote on the complex issues that face our city, and move on. There is no reason, no necessity, for personal invective.
The council now has an option to leave the vacant council seat open until the regular election cycle in November 2026 or, alternatively, conduct a special election at a cost of about $250,000. We strongly recommend that a special election not be held. The expenditure of $250,000 and the associated distraction to solve what appears to be a non-problem seems unconscionable. Let’s not squander taxpayers’ dollars when we have many important priorities, including repairing streets.
In this election cycle, two incumbents and a newcomer were unopposed. We congratulate them and are grateful for their willingness to serve the Del Mar community. Working together, including one council member whose term will expire in two years, the council will have to address numerous challenges emanating from internal and external forces like relocating train tracks, meeting state mandate on affordable housing, undergrounding of utilities, and many others while maintaining the charm and character of Del Mar. We strongly urge them to show respect to fellow members, the city staff and outside agencies.
We will be rooting for your success in addressing challenges and fulfilling the mandates of the Community Plan. We look forward to reviewing your accomplishments in two years.We would be remiss if we did not recognize Dwight Worden and David Druker, both exceptional role models and stalwarts, who are moving on after many years of dedicated service. They deserve our gratitude for their outstanding contributions to the city of Del Mar and making it such a wonderful place.
Marty Cooper and Suren DutiaDel Mar
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