Millbrae has peaceful mayoral rotation

The vice mayor’s appointment also marked another break from protocol for Millbrae councilmembers, who in the past two years passed over Schneider’s bid for the position due to behavior deemed unbecoming of an elected official.

But with a productive and harmonious year in the rearview, councilmembers apparently agreed to carry that good will into 2020 by completing a ceremonial rotation devoid of the hard feelings shared in previous years.

“I think we were very, very efficient this year,” said Lee, in his parting remarks reflecting on the year passed.

For her part, Schneider shared her appreciation to Lee for fostering a culture through which all councilmembers could contribute toward the advancement of the community.

“Thanks for creating an environment where we could all work together and we all succeed together,” she said.

Such unity was a distinct shift from the previous year’s rotation, during which emotions flared when Schneider — who had openly campaigned to serve as vice mayor — was skipped.

“This council has been unfriendly and frankly terrible to work with,” Schneider had said one year prior, while suggesting the City Council’s inability to rotate in an orderly fashion made Millbrae a laughing stock to other neighboring communities.

The year before that, Councilwoman Annie Oliva had said allowing Schneider to become vice mayor would be a disservice to residents because her colleague was undeserving of a promotion putting her in line to serve as mayor. The decision lingered for months, as Millbrae went without a vice mayor for an extended stretch before Lee was eventually selected.

The resentment previously shared among councilmembers apparently dissolved though, as councilmembers showed a willingness to break protocol again, but this time in Schneider’s favor.

Millbrae’s policy is to allow the highest vote getter in the previous election to move from councilmember to vice mayor, and into the mayor’s seat the subsequent year. The vice mayor’s seat is to be occupied by the second-highest vote getter in the most recent election. Holober and Oliva were the highest vote getters in the most recent election, positioning them to take the posts.

Holober had expressed a willingness to serve as the mayor and Schneider again said she’d like to take the vice mayor’s post, but was more interested in preserving the positive spirit among councilmembers.

So no one on the dais batted an eye when Councilwoman Gina Papan nominated Holober to serve as mayor, and he was unanimously approved. Papan’s subsequent nomination of Schneider seemed ceremonial as well, and councilmembers ratified her appointment with limited fanfare.

It wasn’t until Schneider was sworn in to her new post by her mother that emotions showed, as a few spare tears fell when the new vice mayor took the oath of office.

Reflecting on the positive momentum established over the past year, and expressing optimism for the next, Holober shared his hope that officials will continue working together in the best interest of the community.

“I believe Millbrae’s best days are ahead,” he said.

austin@smdailyjournal.com

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