While it’s admirable that residents serve their community in elected offices, some are reluctant to give up their power. They seem to believe what Andrew Carnegie stated – “Immense power is acquired by assuring yourself . . . that you were born to control affairs.”

Entrenched electeds employ two tactics to retain control and power: refusal to accept term limits and refusal to share leadership positions.

Until recently, our city council’s tradition was that councilmembers would rotate mayor and pro tem positions. This ensured that presiding officers represented councilmembers’ constituencies and no faction monopolized the agenda. The school board rotated, too, even requiring it under a binding bylaw.

But the school board violated its own bylaw and ended rotation, and then the city council did the same. We’re witnessing the de facto ruling party monopolization of both bodies.

Without rotating presiding officers, term limits are the only way to ensure a more open democracy. Term limits expand participation, diversity and enable more people to help their town. Only councilman George Weiss supports term limits – the other councilmembers refuse.

Councilman Bob Whalen is a case in point. Whalen has been on city council for almost twelve years and is seeking another four. He’s been mayor five times and pro tem twice. He’s been in control for seven years of his twelve-year tenure – almost 60% of his time in office. He and Mayor Sue Kempf keep passing the titles back and forth to maintain a stranglehold on power.

This control doesn’t seem to advance a resident-friendly or fiscally responsible agenda. Despite backlash from residents, Whalen voted to acquire the $2.7 million Ti Amo property without an appraisal. He spearheaded the Presbyterian Church parking structure that would have cost residents $12 million to build, not including lease and operational costs over 50 years. At the end – the church would’ve gotten it free and clear, plus all income from parking. Residents – nothing.

Now, Whalen wants to acquire, underground and beautify Laguna Canyon road for $150 million plus $12 million in annual liability costs and an unknown amount for annual maintenance and staffing. Where’s that money coming from since the council refused to raise any kind of revenue at a recent council meeting? Residents.

Whalen also wants to build a parking structure at city hall for 300-400 visitor cars at an unknown cost. He says we need to manage visitor impacts. Is encouraging them to come with more resident-funded parking the answer?

In Whalen’s 12 years, city staff has increased 35% to 336 staff members, while the city’s population dropped by almost a thousand between 2020 and 2023. The city budget went from $70 million in 2013 to a projected $147 million this fiscal year. We need new eyes looking at these increases.

As for the school board, president Jan Vickers is seeking her 11th term. She’s served some 40 years. First elected in 1980, she was recalled in 1987 for voting to retain a football coach arrested on felony drug possession, trafficking and resisting arrest charges. She served two terms in the 90s and has now been on the school board consecutively since 2000.

In the past ten years, she’s been president six times, 60% of the time. Vickers served three consecutive terms from 2017 to 2020 and is currently serving two consecutive terms. She voted to ignore board bylaws on rotating the presidency and then voted several months later to change the bylaws – apparently to deny another board member from becoming president and maintain her own control of the agenda.

Vickers championed the questionable $19 million 50-meter pool serving only 79 water polo students, but can’t accommodate community swim activities or swim lessons for children. The pool’s extensive construction will disrupt the community, school and Park Avenue (an evacuation route) for three years. A renovated 35-meter pool could serve all those functions at a fraction of the cost. Vickers also voted to transfer $10 million out of the general fund into the facilities fund in the last six months for this project.

Recently, 120 students and parents implored the school board to resurrect the special needs program that the superintendent disbanded. Vickers responded that the school board was not to be blamed. Yet, the state mandates that the school board is indeed responsible for what happens in the district and can change decisions. The board directs the superintendent, not the other way around.

That’s not how she wants it, apparently. She allows the superintendent to develop policy, and the board rubberstamps his decisions. In fact, she voted to give the superintendent a four-year contract instead of the usual two-year contract. So, who’s running the district?

Term limits would solve these problems of excessive control by a few individuals. It’s time for new blood and new perspectives. Vote accordingly.

Michèle is a 21-year Laguna resident and actively follows Laguna politics. She is the treasurer of Laguna Beach Sister Cities and is involved with the local arts scene. She can be reached at Michelemonda3@gmail.com.