Richard Bailey took the helm of the city council at its meeting on Tuesday. He did so with humility and gratitude. “This is a very special day for our city and for me personally,” Bailey said after being sworn-in. “I’m honored to be the 51st first Mayor of Coronado.”
New council members Whitney Benzian and Mike Donovan expressed their aspiration for their new jobs. “I want to bring new eyes to old problems” Benzian said. Donovan pledged to “work hard everyday to make this an even better community.”
Before the new team took over, time was set aside to acknowledge the contributions of outgoing Mayor Casey Tanaka and Councilman Mike Woiwode.
Bailey called Woiwode “the most thoughtful and deliberate person I know.” Those words were echoed by representatives from the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), the League of California Cities, and the San Diego Military Activities Council. Woiwode represented the city on each of their boards. All came to thank him for his contributions to the region. “You always came prepared and were very thoughtful,” said MTS CEO Paul Jablonski.
Representatives from across the region praised Tanaka, including Congressman Scott Peters, State Senator-elect Tony Atkins, and County Supervisor Greg Cox. Assemblyman-elect Todd Gloria called Tanaka “one of the best mayors I’ve seen. You left your home town better and set the bar for the rest of the county.” Bailey said, “That people know him best as ‘Casey,’ speaks volumes to how approachable, how kind.”
Bailey listed the major projects that took place during Tanaka’s tenure: The Tennis Center, John D. Spreckels Center and Bowling Green, the Animal Care Facility, the Village Theatre renovation, the Club Room and Boat House and the installation of bicycle corrals and lanes. Tanaka also oversaw the creation of three commissions — bicycle advisory, cultural arts and transportation. Tanaka was quick to share those achievements with his colleagues. “A council is only as good as its parts.”
After the swearing ins and tributes, the new council got down to business.
Downey reported on a meeting she had with Laurie Berman, head of Caltrans (California Department of Transportation). The agency could study ways to prevent bridge suicides, but it would need SANDAG (San Diego Association of Governments) approval to conduct the study. Meanwhile Caltrans intends to install speed feedback signs on the bridge, Downey learned. These are the same type of signs the city has installed on Fourth Avenue.
The council approved the historic banner designs for the Avenue of Heroes. It agreed to discuss expediting completion of the city’s wastewater reclamation project and to obtaining copies of Caltrans’ studies on the relinquishment of State Routes 75 and 282 at a future meeting.
The council also elected representatives for various commissions, boards and organizations, such as the Coronado Chamber of Commerce, the League of California Cities, San Diego Division and SANDAG. The process generated the only discord of the evening. In the past, council members chose their own assignments, with the most senior council member having first dibs. Bailey did away with that practice. Downey took exception.
“This isn’t the way we’ve done this in the past. Why we should change the way we’ve always done it?” Downey asked.
“While I think all of our council members can be effective on any committee. I do not think assignments should be determined simply by who is up in the rotation to pick an assignment, but rather who is bested suited for it,” Bailey said.
He indicated that this would not be his last break with tradition. “I do not think we should shy away from making changes that can give Coronado better representation,” Bailey said.
