JAMEY FEDERICO, Dana Point
While divisive politics might seem like a foregone conclusion on the national stage, I believe we can foster civility on the Dana Point City Council.
At last Tuesday’s City Council meeting, I voted against myself for the position of Mayor Pro Tem because I saw an opportunity to draw attention to our need for civility. I applaud my fellow council members for voting 5-0 to elect Councilmember Muller as our new Mayor. Mayor Muller will do a fantastic job.
Two of us (me and Councilmember Paul Wyatt) were subsequently nominated to be mayor pro tem. In the moment, I chose to vote against myself and vote for Mr. Wyatt, who was nominated by Councilmember Debra Lewis. I’m honored to have been nominated, and I thank Mayor Joe Muller and Councilmember Richard Viczorek for their support.
If you followed the recent city council election closely, you’ll know that Councilmember Lewis and Mayor Pro Tem Wyatt endorsed my opponent and actively campaigned against me. My vote for Mayor Pro Tem Wyatt was out of respect for the support they showed in selecting Mayor Muller, out of respect for Mr. Wyatt’s two years of previous service, and to demonstrate my desire to work with the entire council as one team.
Not all of our city council votes will be 5-0. But when there are split votes, I hope we can all respect the outcome and each other’s stated positions. In a city like Dana Point, it shouldn’t be hard to remember that there is much more that unites us than divides us. I hope all of us on the council can set the example for our city by showing civility and dignity, especially when we disagree.
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