Let’s keep Redlands’ mayoral selection transparent and fair

Redlands will be getting a new mayor on Tuesday. Two years ago, the council voted to adopt a rotating mayor system like other similar cities have. This gives each council member the opportunity to act as mayor for a two-year term. Based on this policy, Council Member Denise Davis should become mayor on Tuesday. 

Unfortunately, many critical votes on the council over the last few years have fallen on gender lines, with the three men on the council voting opposite of the two women. On Tuesday, when Marc Shaw is sworn in, there will be four men and one woman on the council. The woman who is set to become our mayor and one of a handful of female mayors we have ever had in Redlands. 

A recent survey of the city of Redlands, which was presented to City Council on Nov. 19, found the following on page 6 of the report:

(You can read the full report here.)

I hope the Redlands City Council makes rectifying these numbers one of its highest priorities. In order for Redlands to thrive, people need to believe that our local government is honest, open, transparent and treats residents fairly. 

Many people supported the rotating mayor system two years ago because it breathes transparency into the process. It is essential that the city council maintain this system to choose the next mayor of Redlands as part of the social contract with the citizens of Redlands.

This system is used in other great cities and has proven to work. 

If the men on the council vote to take away this system and deny Council Member Davis from becoming Mayor, they will be playing into the feelings of deception and injustice that the survey indicates. 

Join me in urging the men on the Redlands City Council to do what is right for our citizens and act with integrity. Email them here and ask them to follow the process they voted for and do not block Council Member Davis from becoming mayor.

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