City Council to Appoint New Council Member!

City Council to Appoint New Council Member!

Instead of looking for the best qualified candidate possible, in a town hall meeting via Zoom on July 27, 2020, Mayor Bruce Delgado presented a check list describing his ideal candidate. Mayor Delgado's list included the candidates race, socioeconomic status, age, council meeting attendance, etc...

Council Member Urrutia has announced he will resign his council seat on August 5, 2020 with just over 2 years left in his term. He stated that he and his family will be moving to Rocklin, CA where extended family will assist with the distance learning of their children.

This leaves the City Council with a couple of options. The last day the City could publish an election notice was July 13, 2020, however the City Council could petition the Monterey County Elections Office to allow them to modify their original election notice to fill the vacancy. The last day for a candidate to file their papers for Declaration of Candidacy/Nomination is August 7, 2020.

Unfortunately in the same town hall meeting on July 27, 2020, Mayor Bruce Delgado announced that the council will not allow the voters of Marina to choose their new council member, but will rather appoint one according to the City Charter. If the remaining 4 council members are unable to come to a consensus within 40 days of Urrutia's resignation, Mayor Bruce Delgado will have the ability to unilaterally make the appointment.

UPDATE:

At the last City Council Meeting on August 5, 2020, Council Member Urrutia did not tender his resignation.  He expressed a desire to continue on the City Council until he has completed a real estate transaction, at which time he will resign.  This unfortunately has tied the hands of the City Council, which will now be forced to appoint a new Council Member.

With the new district voting implemented this year and an appointed replacement for Urrutia, the City of Marina will soon have 3 of it's 5 City Council Members chosen by less than half of the citizens/voters of Marina.  So much for a government by the people.  Marina will now have to settle for a government controlled by half of the people... All in the name of "diversity".