The new Foster City Council, to the consternation of some residents, voted to reappoint Sam Hindi as mayor and to appoint Herb Perez as vice mayor.
This is Hindi’s second consecutive term as mayor after having served one term as vice mayor in 2016. Perez is now entering his first term as vice mayor, but served as mayor in 2015. While councilmembers are elected to four-year terms, vice mayor and mayor terms span one year. The positions are largely ceremonial, but do entail some additional responsibilities such as managing council meetings.
During a meeting Monday, Councilman Sanjay Gehani, one of two newcomers, nominated Councilwoman Catherine Mahanpour, who also voted for herself for mayor, but she lost by a vote of 3-2. Both also voted for Mahanpour to be vice mayor and she lost by the same margin. The other newcomer, Councilwoman Richa Awasthi, joined Hindi and Perez in voting for those two to be mayor and vice mayor respectively.
Mahanpour, who was elected to her first council term in 2015, was not pleased with Monday’s vote and noted that many residents walked out of the council chambers after it was announced.
“I voted for myself because I believe everyone deserves a fair chance to be mayor and vice mayor,” Mahanpour said. “I have not yet served as vice mayor or mayor, but the two people voted in have, and that’s why people are upset. It was my turn to step up and be vice mayor at least.”
During the meeting, Perez said he nominated Hindi to be mayor again in part because of his experience.
“Based upon experience and the ability to be able to create relationships in our community and external to our community, there has been one councilmember among the three of us who has demonstrated the willingness and time to attend virtually everything we have going on regionally, locally and to listen to our public,” Perez said. “He has the leadership experience and the tenor many people have expressed in the room that they desire for our City Council.”
During public comment, two residents praised Mahanpour for similar reasons and urged the council to vote her in as mayor. They suggested such a move would help restore civility to the council.
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Mahanpour and Gehani also called for the return to a rotational system for the appointment of mayor and vice mayor. There is no official rotational policy on the books but, in the past, mayors and vice mayors have been appointed based on the number of votes received and the work they’ve done for the city, as is the case in most Peninsula cities. After a mayor’s term is up, the vice mayor typically becomes the mayor, but circumstances were relatively unusual this time around: Gary Pollard, who has served as vice mayor this year, did not run for re-election.
“This request [to return to a rotational system for mayor and vice mayor] is not about any one person, it’s about a process and it’s about a process that has become so divisive and very political and it shouldn’t be,” Mahanpour said. “It seems like years ago the city ran smoother when there was a rotational basis. That process of rotation shows trust and respect for all of us up here and it shows trust and respect for the residents who voted for us to have these offices. Unfortunately, that has gone by the wayside.”
Mahanpour said that system went by the wayside several years ago, shortly before she joined the council.
Gehani said he supports a rotational system because it “removes the optics of favoritism.”
“It provides transparency to the council and to the community. It removes uncertainty and stress within the council, and we’ve had a successful history of rotations — 32 rotations since 1977,” he said, adding that a petition to have Foster City return to a rotational system had amassed over 320 signatures prior to Monday’s meeting. “This is the fairest way for us to select our new mayor.”
Hindi said he’s torn about whether the rotational system is best for Foster City.
“I struggle with whether Foster City should return to that system,” he said. “Every councilmember should have the opportunity to be mayor, no question, but I struggle if it should be automatic, a walk in, or if a councilmember should have to demonstrate certain things.”
This less than subtle power grab once again shows that there are a couple of council members who show no regard for the wishes of residents and disrespect their own council colleagues.
Sam Hindi operates a gas station/mini-mart, Catherine Mahanpour is a law professor and does important volunteer work for the rights of children. She attends all subcommittee meetings. There is no way she is less qualified than Herb Perez, the strip mall martial arts school owner or the gas station operator.
The residents made it very clear in the last election that they wanted a change back to transparency and civility. Once again, two incumbents ignored the message.
One had to ask themselves why keeping the power amongst these two incumbents is so urgent to them? They had a big role in getting their candidate, Richa Awasthi elected so they could maintain their majority after a Charlie Bronitsky termed out. This is not fair play and is detrimental for the city i’ve Lived in for 50 years.
Catherine Mahanpour, Sanjay Gehani and two residents expressed their opinion to reinstate rotational system. First order of business should have been a vote by council members on rotational system, but Mayor Hindi just ignored their requests and continued with the nomination and voting process.
The above reporting does not show the divergence in 2015. Council member Perez was passed over and NOT included in the 'rotation'. A 3-2 vote. They passed over Perez. 2015 was the key year. Here is a video: https://fostercityca.civicclerk.com/Web/Mobile/MobileVideo.aspx?id=400 Watch for yourself and see.
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(4) comments
This less than subtle power grab once again shows that there are a couple of council members who show no regard for the wishes of residents and disrespect their own council colleagues.
Sam Hindi operates a gas station/mini-mart, Catherine Mahanpour is a law professor and does important volunteer work for the rights of children. She attends all subcommittee meetings. There is no way she is less qualified than Herb Perez, the strip mall martial arts school owner or the gas station operator.
The residents made it very clear in the last election that they wanted a change back to transparency and civility. Once again, two incumbents ignored the message.
One had to ask themselves why keeping the power amongst these two incumbents is so urgent to them? They had a big role in getting their candidate, Richa Awasthi elected so they could maintain their majority after a Charlie Bronitsky termed out. This is not fair play and is detrimental for the city i’ve Lived in for 50 years.
Catherine Mahanpour, Sanjay Gehani and two residents expressed their opinion to reinstate rotational system. First order of business should have been a vote by council members on rotational system, but Mayor Hindi just ignored their requests and continued with the nomination and voting process.
The above reporting does not show the divergence in 2015. Council member Perez was passed over and NOT included in the 'rotation'. A 3-2 vote. They passed over Perez. 2015 was the key year. Here is a video: https://fostercityca.civicclerk.com/Web/Mobile/MobileVideo.aspx?id=400 Watch for yourself and see.
It beginning to sound a lot like middle school.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.