One
of the more interesting documents from Yorba Linda's past – minutes
from the final meeting of the committee that worked for the city's
incorporation – is relevant today because of the sage advice given
the soon-to-be-installed members of the first City Council.
Residents
have been clear beneficiaries when the counsel has been followed,
but, when ignored, political considerations have mattered most, with
a climate of payback for opponents and their supporters influencing
some decision-making.
The
advice was simple: avoid blood-letting, as delivered by attorney Jim
Erickson, who provided services for the Steering Committee for
Incorporation and was named the first city attorney. It came during
the committee's final session on Oct. 26, 1967.
Present
were all five newly elected council members, other committee members
and Erickson, who outlined procedures for launching the county's 25th
city. The meeting's minutes noted: “Mr. Erickson stressed the
importance of the council presenting a solid front. It is important
that there be no public blood-letting and dissension.”
Indeed,
the members of that first body took his advice and set up a rotation
policy, so all members would serve in the largely honorary mayoral
post, despite their diverse views.
Proposed
by Councilman Bill Ross, the plan was for each member to serve six
months as mayor and vice mayor in order of vote totals in the 1967
election until all seats would again be on the 1970 ballot.
Most
councils have followed that pattern for one-year terms with minor
exceptions, but lately, councils have engaged in political payback by
eliminating members on the short end of 3-2 and 4-1 divisions from
the rotation for a post that signs documents and performs ceremonial
duties.
Erickson
also advised establishing a planning commission and other citizen
advisory committees to deal with oil problems, beautification and
parks and recreation “as an excellent way of involving more people
in city government.”
The
planning panel was formed first, followed by the parks and
recreation, traffic and library commissions, along with several
single-issue committees. In 47 years, only a half-dozen members were
fired from these positions.
But
the current council, on a 4-1 vote, changed all commission terms to
expire shortly after council elections and vacated all positions –
no matter when they were set to expire – and reappointed some
members and dropped others.
If
future councils follow this unwelcome precedent, expect biennial
blood-lettings whenever the council complexion changes and new
office-holders decide they don't want opponents to serve on city
bodies.
Finally,
another piece of Erickson's advice to the new council members: “As
a general rule, reporters ask questions that would be embarrassing to
the council or they raise issues that will sell papers. Smile a lot
and don't say much. Cities are a particular target of newspapers.”