Two motions authored by Supervisors David Chiu and John Avalos to address an interim mayoral selection process were considered during yesterday's weekly Board of Supervisors meeting. Photos by Luke Thomas.
By Luke Thomas
November 17, 2010
San Francisco residents are none the wiser today as to whom will succeed Lt. Governor-elect Gavin Newsom as Mayor in January.
The Board of Supervisors, chartered to appoint a mayoral successor when the executive office becomes vacant, entertained two competing motions yesterday in an effort to define a selection process, or to began a non-binding nomination process. The respective motions were authored by Board of Supervisors President David Chiu and Supervisor John Avalos.
Avalos, who did not have the required six votes to pass his nomination motion, amended his motion to take public comment on the selection process. Following public comment, Avalos and the Board supported Chiu’s motion directing the Clerk of the Board to “propose a process for nominating and selecting a successor to the Mayor.” That motion is expected to be considered at next week’s Board meeting.
Supervisor John Avalos
Board of Supervisors President David Chiu (Clerk of the Board Angela Calvillo at left).
“To me, in my mind, we can avoid the kind of tragedies that Shakespeare wrote about in the plays of Julius Caesar, Macbeth and Hamlet, if we have a process that we can guarantee we are going to be supporting one another and making the best decision we can,” Avalos said. “I don’t really envy anyone who is going to be in the position of interim mayor because our (budget) deficit is so horrible, especially after we have had to close huge deficits over the past three years. The choices that we have are very difficult.”
Newsom, who has been threatening to delay his swearing-in to the Office of Lt. Governor to prevent the current left-leaning majority Board of Supervisors from appointing his replacement, said yesterday he is “99 percent” sure he will be sworn-in on January 3. Five Supervisors-elect will be sworn-in on January 8.
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Supervisors Chris Daly and David Campos.
Supervisors David Chiu and Sophie Maxwell.
Supervisors Bevan Dufty and David Campos.
Supervisors Sophie Maxwell and Carmen Chu.
Clerk of the Board Angela Calvillo, Supervisors David Chiu and Ross Mirkarimi.
Supervisors Chris Daly and John Avalos.
Supervisor Sean Elsbernd
Luke Thomas
Luke Thomas is a former software developer and computer consultant who proudly hails from London, England. In 2001, Thomas took a yearlong sabbatical to travel and develop a photographic portfolio. Upon his return to the US, Thomas studied photojournalism to pursue a career in journalism. In 2004, Thomas worked for several neighborhood newspapers in San Francisco before accepting a partnership agreement with the SanFranciscoSentinel.com, a news website formerly covering local, state and national politics. In September 2006, Thomas launched FogCityJournal.com. The BBC, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox News, New York Times, Der Spiegel, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Magazine, 7x7, San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco Bay Guardian and the San Francisco Weekly, among other publications and news outlets, have published his work. Thomas is a member of the Freelance Unit of the Pacific Media Workers Guild, TNG-CWA Local 39521 and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
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November 18, 2010 at 8:47 am
@Ralph: Get their act together? The current Board will do what it needs to get the outcome it wants and/or the outcome that whoever most forcefully presses or persuades them wants.
November 18, 2010 at 7:04 am
I agree with Mr. Jarvis or the current Board won’t get their act together and the new Board will select an interim mayor.
November 17, 2010 at 7:05 pm
Watch Chui win by default.