Editorial: Council Quals

An important election to restore the Del Mar City Council to its full 5 members is coming this fall. The two winning candidates will help fill the void left by the resignation of former Councilmember Dwight Worden and the frequent 2:2 voting deadlock that resulted.

The Sandpiper believes that voters should think carefully about the characteristics that make Del Mar Councilmembers most effective for the city and the region. Here are some that we think are important:

• The ability and patience to listen to and respect other opinions before reaching a decision
• To understand the delicate task of distinguishing personal opinions from the Council consensus when making public comments
• To understand and adhere to the ethical constraints faced by public officials, including avoiding actions that seem to favor themselves or specific donors
• The thoughtful representation of Del Mar’s interests when serving on regional boards or committees
• A willingness to meet with constituents and respond to their concerns in a thoughtful and transparent way
• To understand the role of the City Council in setting policy and the City Manager in implementing that policy
• Experience in leadership roles and knowledge of city governance gained by serving on advisory committees
• A commitment to spend the amount of time required to review and understand the many governance issues that come before the City Council (more than most new candidates imagine)
• An appreciation of Del Mar’s history and the importance of our Community Plan
• To aggressively seek input from community members, especially our conscientious advisory committees
• To provide leadership with a long-term perspective that helps citizens who have difficulty seeing beyond short-term problems
• To abide by the Del Mar election guidelines regarding civility, donations, and signage

Future issues of the Sandpiper will feature statements from City Council candidates. We will see how well they measure up to these standards.