What Makes a Good Councilmember?

by Krista Gulbransen

When Jean Quan announced her run for Mayor, many in the community wondered, "Who will take her place?" As District 4's Councilmember for the past seven years, Quan has devoted her time to grassroots efforts focused on serving the District's neighborhoods. Many in the community recognized her ability to bring together community members, linking them to other citywide resources for the best possible outcome.

A segment of that community was most concerned with making sure that the right person succeeded Quan, ensuring that the focus on the neighborhoods specific to District 4 was continued. In February, the District 4 Endorsement Committee was born. A grassroots effort, the Committee consisted of community leaders representing the majority of neighborhoods in the district, including a youth member from Skyline High School. Chaired by Stan Weisner (Montclair Neighborhood), the Committee's common and uniting goal was to recommend a candidate to the community who the Committee believedwould best continue to support local neighborhoods.'

Meeting over the course of three months, they used input from their neighborhoods, combined with their own experience working with the Councilwoman, to create criteria that would answer the question, "What makes a good Councilmember?" From their discussions and input came seven critical questions addressing such issues as working with neighborhoods, city budget concerns, collaboration with schools, ethics and transparency, diversity and community policing. All District 4 candidates were publicly invited to submit an application to be a part of the Committee's interview process. Seven candidates were interviewed over a course of a weekend in May by ten of the participating Committee members, and were rated based on their answers to the questions.

With a diverse set of candidates on the docket, the Committee members deliberated into the following week, discussing the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate. It was in those deliberations that the Committee decided it would best serve the community by recommending more than one candidate in support of the Oakland's new ranked-choice voting structure.'

Once their work was complete, the Committee decided that this was just a beginning of other opportunities to unite their neighborhoods in action. They agreed to meet on a quarterly basis to exchange ideas, share best practices, and support one another in their efforts to make Oakland the best place to live in the Bay Area. Their hopes are that others in neighboring parts of the city could look to their committee model as a way to encourage dialogue among neighbors for actionable outcome. Whether it's choosing a political candidate or vetting a new business for a business district, creating a unified community voice has its benefits.

Persons expected to be candidates for the D4 seat are Clinton Killian, Libby Schaff, Daniel Swafford, Melanie Shelby, Scott Jackson, Ralph Kanz, and Jill Broadhurst. On May 10, the Committee announced that in their opinion, Schaaf and Swafford were the "most qualified" to represent District 4 and that Shelby was a "very strong candidate." To review a copy of the District 4 Neighborhood Endorsement Committee mission statement, questions posed to the candidates, and candidate application forms for participation in this interview process, email krussell\@russell-gordon.com. In the Metro readership area, District 6 is also up for election. Expected canndidates are Nancy Sidebotham, José Dorado, and incumbent Desley Brooks.