Easy solution

But that’s not all. The turmoil within the council regarding the selection of the mayor has reached new heights. The traditional mayoral rotation process has been upended one too many times, leaving us bewildered. In 2022, newly sworn-in councilmembers disregarded all protocol, denying the only Asian American on the council the opportunity to ascend to the position of vice mayor and subsequently mayor. Although this callous deviation from the norm was partially corrected this year when Mayor Fung was appointed to the post by his colleagues, it was still an out-of-order process.

And then there’s the La Quinta Inn debacle. The County of San Mateo made a surprising and poorly communicated unilateral decision to purchase a hotel in Millbrae for transitional living for the unhoused. This decision caused great consternation among residents and a majority of the council, who stood up for Millbrae and challenged the county’s methods and process.

Now, our community finds itself embroiled in a divisive recall election, as residents work to remove councilmembers viewed as unsupportive. This unfortunate situation is a testament to the toxicity that has permeated our political environment, largely due to the change in our system of elections.

As former councilmembers and mayors of Millbrae, we have witnessed the deterioration of our city government. It is with a heavy heart that we believe it is time to reconsider how we elect our City Council. Perhaps it is time to explore legal options to return to at-large elections for councilmembers and directly elect our mayor, following in the footsteps of neighboring cities.

Millbrae’s 23,000 residents are disadvantaged with the current district system. Small districts, with perhaps 4,600 residents and even fewer voters, offer a limited pool of potential leaders who are willing and able to take on the challenge of guiding our city. This leaves Millbrae vulnerable and in dire need of change. An elected mayor-at-large will be a welcome change in the city that will be a huge part of a solution. 

Our community yearns for a diverse and extensive pool of candidates from which to select future leaders. This will provide the stability and vision necessary to tackle the increasingly urgent challenges that lie ahead.

From increasing mandates to incentivize housing construction to expanding our tax base for crucial city services, Millbrae faces a multitude of obstacles. We must also address the pressing need to replace and repair aging infrastructure while attracting and retaining talented staff in a competitive marketplace. Additionally, Millbrae’s transit center presents an extraordinary opportunity for the city to develop a vibrant new community, but only if we have the right leadership to make it happen.

In the face of chaotic meetings, conflicts with residents and inconsistent advocacy for our community, we find ourselves in grave danger of being ill-equipped to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities of today, let alone those of tomorrow.

Albert Einstein once said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting a different result. It is clear that the time for change has come because the current state of affairs isn’t working.

Dan Quigg, Robert Gottschalk, Anne Oliva and Reuben Holober are former mayors of Millbrae.