A challenge for City Council hopefuls

Well, the field is set for our local elections with 16 candidates for three City Council seats. Excluding our one incumbent, Debbie Cook,

who is running for reelection, there is an even mix of first timers

and repeat customers. The challenge for these challengers is to

convince the voters that they have the right stuff to help lead our

city over the next four years.

What is the right stuff of leadership? While various strengths may

be common among all leaders, leadership is a different animal in

municipal government.

This kind of leadership demands more consensus-building and

collaboration among many constituencies than the average business or

community leader is asked to deliver.

Municipal leadership requires working effectively with other

council colleagues on council committees; city staff; the elected

offices of the city clerk, city treasurer and city attorney; council

boards and commissions; and all manner of community and business

groups.

Above all, municipal leadership is about representation, not just

of supporting constituent groups, but all residents in our city. It

is also about representation of the city with county, regional, and

state boards, commissions, committees, task forces, associations,

agencies, and districts. It is becoming increasingly important for

our public officials to be involved in county, regional, and state

matters that affect our city’s interests.

What should we look for in evaluating the right stuff of municipal

leadership? First, we should look for candidates who are dynamic,

that is, who are energetic and enterprising enough to push for

advancement and to produce change where necessary. This requires

candidates to run active campaigns and to make themselves and their

views available to the public.

Where should we start? A good place to look is the challenger’s

Candidate Statement of Qualifications, the 200-word summary available

to each of the candidates for a $2,200 fee. Often, the statements are

the only citywide contact candidates have with the voters in getting

their message out. Regrettably, only half of the 16 candidates for

City Council took this step.

Several of the candidates filing statements also listed campaign

websites for more information and contact. This is also most helpful

for the voters in evaluating the contenders.

Second, we should look for candidates with personal and

professional integrity who are well-balanced and purpose-driven in

carrying out their duties and responsibilities. Single issue

candidates, candidates pushing a political ideology and candidates

beholden to outside special interests are examples of the unbalanced

type. We need leaders who take the views and concerns of all our

citizens into consideration in making their decisions.

They also need to be committed to working hard to achieve results

and to make progress in moving the city forward.

Third, we should look for candidates who work to solve problems

and not just deal with them. We need leaders who are open to new

ideas, and who readily admit they do not have all the answers. We

need leaders who have the ability to blaze new trails as well as to

stay the course.

It will be the challenge of the voters to determine which of the

candidates for City Council has the right stuff to lead our city. It

is a challenge I look forward to over the next 10 weeks.

* TIM GEDDES is a Huntington Beach resident. To contribute to

“Sounding Off” e-mail us at [email protected] or fax us at (714)

965-7174.