[Sosfbay-discuss] New California Green Mayor takes office, unveils Green agenda

[Drew Johnson]

http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/archives/2008/2008-Dec-18/marinas-new-mayor-one-of-three-green-city-leaders-in-the-state-pushes-an-ambition-agenda/1/@@index

Green Energy


        Marina's new mayor, one of three Green city leaders in the
        state, pushes an ambition agenda.

By Zachary Stahl
<http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/search?q=%22Zachary%20Stahl%22>

Marina City Manager Tony Altfeld leans back in his chair and buries his
face in his hand. It's 10:15 p.m. The earlier energy and enthusiasm that
filled the City Council chambers for Mayor Bruce Delgado's swearing in
on Dec. 16 has faded. Altfeld, along with councilmen Dave McCall and Jim
Ford, want to go home, but Delgado has saved a multi-faceted item for last.

Delgado wants seven meaty discussions on future agendas, from
mobile-home rent stabilization to alternatives to the California Public
Employment Retirement System (CalPERS) and budget deficits in Landscape
Assessment Districts. Altfeld wakes from his slumber once McCall
suggests the city should notify everyone in the district when that item
is scheduled.

"Things are getting fast and furious around here," Altfeld says sharply.
"If we are putting an agenda item to simply discuss landscape
districts... we are not going to go out and mail notices." After some
back and forth, the council manages to pass a motion to schedule the
items on future dates.

In November Delgado defeated Gary Wilmot, vowing to curb deficit
spending, increase public participation and push downtown
revitalization. Perhaps his first night on the job wasn't the best time
to play several cards on his ambitious agenda.

Earlier in the meeting, staff gave the council a status report on the
city's budget at Delgado's request. While the report revealed some new
oversights, the bulk of revenues haven't arrived yet; staff said it was
too early to get a pulse on money problems.

Getting his laundry list on the agenda is one thing. Building consensus
on the issues will be tougher challenge for Delgado. At Delgado's first
meeting behind the gavel, a 3-2 split emerges. The two more
conservative-minded councilmen, McCall and Ford, ironically seated to
Delgado's right, support the traditional location for the council and
city manager's upcoming retreat. The more progressive councilmen, Ken
Gray and newly elected Frank O'Connell, follow Delgado's lead.

Still, Delgado attempts to build bridges during his swearing-in speech.
He trades jokes with Wilmot and even acknowledges former mayor Ila
Mettee-McCutchon, to whom he lost a mayoral bid in 2004. "I hope to
become the best team player I can," he says.

Delgado, one of three Green Party mayors in the state, wants to steer
Marina in a more sustainable direction than the old guard. He expects to
sign environmental accords such as the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection
Agreement and pursue a Styrofoam and plastic-bag ban. He also wants to
focus dense development in the downtown area and push alternative energy
in the project that replaces Cypress Knolls on Fort Ord.

"We'd like to go as green as we can," Delgado said. But this vision may
only be realized once his mayoral greenness rubs off.