Comments on: Robert Lieber reelected as Albany Mayor after bitter debate http://albanytoday.org/2007/12/19/robert-lieber-reelected-as-albany-mayor-after-bitter-debate/ News and stories on people in Albany, CA Fri, 17 Sep 2010 22:03:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Albany Today » Blog Archive » Meet Election Candidates: Robert Lieber for Albany City Council http://albanytoday.org/2007/12/19/robert-lieber-reelected-as-albany-mayor-after-bitter-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-600 Albany Today » Blog Archive » Meet Election Candidates: Robert Lieber for Albany City Council Sat, 27 Sep 2008 04:42:04 +0000 http://albanytoday.org/2007/12/19/robert-lieber-reelected-as-albany-mayor-after-bitter-debate/#comment-600 [...] to his strong positions on several controversial city issues, such as waterfront development and direct election of mayor. Watch a video message from Lieber on his current [...] [...] to his strong positions on several controversial city issues, such as waterfront development and direct election of mayor. Watch a video message from Lieber on his current [...]

]]> By: Albany City Council divides on direct election of mayor « Albany Today http://albanytoday.org/2007/12/19/robert-lieber-reelected-as-albany-mayor-after-bitter-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-97 Albany City Council divides on direct election of mayor « Albany Today Fri, 21 Mar 2008 01:24:43 +0000 http://albanytoday.org/2007/12/19/robert-lieber-reelected-as-albany-mayor-after-bitter-debate/#comment-97 [...] Farid Javandal and Jewel Okawachi, who opposed Lieber’s reelection as mayor last December, said that there’s no need to [...] [...] Farid Javandal and Jewel Okawachi, who opposed Lieber’s reelection as mayor last December, said that there’s no need to [...]

]]> By: Bill Dann http://albanytoday.org/2007/12/19/robert-lieber-reelected-as-albany-mayor-after-bitter-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-96 Bill Dann Mon, 31 Dec 2007 20:27:17 +0000 http://albanytoday.org/2007/12/19/robert-lieber-reelected-as-albany-mayor-after-bitter-debate/#comment-96 On the strange process by which Albany selects its mayor each year, used to be the City Council each December would go into a back room to finalize their private deliberations, then after a puff of white smoke, would file (often by rank) into the council chambers to announce the new current mayor and his/her successor vice mayor--oftentimes the vice mayor would pro forma be so elevated. Nowadays, the viewing public can watch the selection process--like making sausage--at the meeting or on the cable tv channel. Recent exceptions to the automatic upgrade of the vice mayor to mayor include former Mayors Ruth Ganong and Mike Brodsky, who each served repeat successive terms. If not strictly repeat successive terms, other former councilmembers (like Alan Maris), served multiple terms during their tenure. So, in this fashion, not every councilmember got to serve as mayor. If this council had followed the so-called "policy" (not in the charter) then vice-mayor Marge Atkinson would now be mayor (not Mr Javandel), since she was the vice-mayor last year --and is again this year. Albany is a charter city. Our City Charter provides that the City Council select the mayor at its own pleasure. Barring a change in the Charter, which requires approval of the electorate, that's the way it's done. Nothing in the charter prohibits repeat terms, successive or otherwise. Just gotta be a councilmember and have a majority select you. Under the charter, much of the work of the town is relegated to the appointed City Administrator, Beth Pollard and her staff. The mayor runs the council meetings and can choose to be an active or a ceremonial mayor. Fortunately, Mayor Robert Lieber has chosen to be an active mayor, which is a great benefit for our town. Increasingly strange, the charter provides that the mayor and councilmembers are each paid $5 per meeting, not to exceed $25 per month (to avoid holding a sixth meeting to increase their monthly pay to the outrageous amount of $30). On the strange process by which Albany selects its mayor each year, used to be the City Council each December would go into a back room to finalize their private deliberations, then after a puff of white smoke, would file (often by rank) into the council chambers to announce the new current mayor and his/her successor vice mayor–oftentimes the vice mayor would pro forma be so elevated.

Nowadays, the viewing public can watch the selection process–like making sausage–at the meeting or on the cable tv channel.

Recent exceptions to the automatic upgrade of the vice mayor to mayor include former Mayors Ruth Ganong and Mike Brodsky, who each served repeat successive terms. If not strictly repeat successive terms, other former councilmembers (like Alan Maris), served multiple terms during their tenure. So, in this fashion, not every councilmember got to serve as mayor.

If this council had followed the so-called “policy” (not in the charter) then vice-mayor Marge Atkinson would now be mayor (not Mr Javandel), since she was the vice-mayor last year –and is again this year.

Albany is a charter city. Our City Charter provides that the City Council select the mayor at its own pleasure. Barring a change in the Charter, which requires approval of the electorate, that’s the way it’s done. Nothing in the charter prohibits repeat terms, successive or otherwise. Just gotta be a councilmember and have a majority select you.

Under the charter, much of the work of the town is relegated to the appointed City Administrator, Beth Pollard and her staff. The mayor runs the council meetings and can choose to be an active or a ceremonial mayor. Fortunately, Mayor Robert Lieber has chosen to be an active mayor, which is a great benefit for our town.

Increasingly strange, the charter provides that the mayor and councilmembers are each paid $5 per meeting, not to exceed $25 per month (to avoid holding a sixth meeting to increase their monthly pay to the outrageous amount of $30).

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