Q&A with the Mayoral Candidates

I emailed five questions to the candidates running to succeed Rob Schroder. Here's how they answered.

Last week, I emailed the following five questions to the six mayoral candidates and asked them to respond by end of day Tuesday. I received responses from every candidate other than Michael Ayers. Below are the responses exactly as they were provided (no editing on my part with exception of some minor typos and punctuation). The candidates were asked to limit their answers to no more than 100 words.

My thanks to the candidates who took the time to provide thoughtful answers to these questions for readers of this Newsletter. I hope they give voters more valuable information to weigh as they prepare to make their choice for a new mayor on Tuesday.

Lara DeLaney

What qualities and priorities would you say most distinguish you from the five other candidates running for mayor?

My leadership qualities which have been exhibited both in my time on Council and in my position as a Senior Deputy County Administrator include courageousness, decisiveness, integrity, willingness to listen, perseverance, a collaborative approach, determination, excellent communication skills, and critical thinking/analysis skills. My priorities for the City include ensuring our public safety through full staffing of the police department; strengthening our economic development by addressing vacancies, increasing our marketing and promotion of the City and its businesses, and attending to our infrastructure; providing housing opportunities, particularly in the Downtown but also through ADUs; and increasing our recreational and cultural assets (development of pickleball courts, Pine Meadows Park, Historic Train Depot, Alhambra Highlands).

In what ways would your leadership and style as mayor differ most from current longtime mayor Rob Schroder?

My leadership style as mayor would be more inclusive, collaborative, and transparent. I have been engaged in the community through Kiwanis, Rotary, the Boys & Girls Club, and the Joe DiMaggio Hometown Hero Project, so I'm more accessible and responsive to residents.

What are three specific things you would hope to accomplish in your first year as mayor?

Full staffing of our workforce and a fully opened City Hall.

Implementation of our Housing Element, after it is adopted by the Council and approved by HCD.

Waterfront/Marina Master Plan implementation (and the Joe DiMaggio Museum development)

What are three specific things you would do to make Martinez a more welcoming and inclusive place for residents, including those from historically marginalized communities?

1. Listen to the input from the ARDPIE Taskforce and implement their recommendations.

2. Make the ARDPIE Taskforce an on-going advisory body that regularly provides input to the Council on the implementation of their recommendations.

3. Communicate our welcoming and inclusive goals on a regular basis and increase engagement of the public in civic meetings and cultural events.

What do you see as the No. 1 challenge facing Martinez over the next four years?

One of our biggest challenges over the next four years will be the fact that there will be at least three brand new Council members coming into leadership during a period of economic uncertainty. With predictions about a looming recession on the horizon, it will be difficult to advance major initiatives without strong, experienced leadership at the helm.

Mike Menesini

What qualities and priorities would you say most distinguish you from the five other candidates running for mayor?

As a former Mayor and current prosecutor, I have decades of experience communicating concepts very successfully with folks of all walks … negotiating just solutions to many complex human affairs. 

In what ways would your leadership and style as mayor differ most from current longtime mayor Rob Schroder?

I have a proven history of accomplishment that necessitated effective partnerships with various private and governmental entities. See my web site.

What are three specific things you would hope to accomplish in your first year as mayor?

Rebuild our water treatment plant, resolve current homeless crisis. Improve police services.

What are three specific things you would do to make Martinez a more welcoming and inclusive place for residents, including those from historically marginalized communities?

Expand farmers market, reinvigorate our Parks and Rec. Department, reestablish community holidays.

What do you see as the No. 1 challenge facing Martinez over the next four years?

Public safety. 

Mark Ross

What qualities and priorities would you say most distinguish you from the five other candidates running for mayor?

My experience and sensible solution-seeking skills would be the most important qualities.

With a recession coming, my experience through the tough times in budgeting will be critical in the coming 18-24 months.

As for experience, depending on how the election goes here in 2022, it's possible that as Mayor in December 2024, we could have 2 councilmembers with 2 years experience, and 2 more with no experience.

Exciting from a change perspective, but perhaps an experienced Mayor might be of value.

In what ways would your leadership and style as mayor differ most from current longtime mayor Rob Schroder?

I would employ a different approach, as we are in a different chapter of the town's evolution. More communication between our constituents, and more communication between our different communities. I would reprise the practice of City Council meetings in the neighborhoods,

Sharing the responsibilities of the Mayor's office, to mentor our council, would be a priority.

What are three specific things you would hope to accomplish in your first year as mayor?

Continue the effort to fully staff our police department, city hall staff.

Then focus on the budget during a recession. Then cleanup the town from it's pandemic appearance, including dealing with the new chapter we face with the closure of Camp Hope, and the displaced from that closure.

What are three specific things you would do to make Martinez a more welcoming and inclusive place for residents, including those from historically marginalized communities?

I would convene an Anti- Discrimination  community panel that would help connect our residents to each other. We are one town with many communities that hardly know each other except as "them". Time to connect the human dots with each other in person.

What do you see as the No. 1 challenge facing Martinez over the next four years?

Whenever there is growth and new success, there is a tendency to slack, or even regress as success can breed jealousies. I feel we can move our town to a higher level of valuation of each other, our potential as a destination where we all — residents and businesses — prosper in one way or another. That is a tone set by the Mayor and Council, especially as tough budget decisions will need to made.

Sean Trambley

What qualities and priorities would you say most distinguish you from the five other candidates running for mayor?

I bring a wealth of ideas, energy, vision, and experience to the table. I’ve worked in public policy for more than 15 years, starting in Washington, DC for Congressman George Miller and later for Dennis Cardoza. We all know how much potential Martinez has, but current leadership has been unable to realize it. We need someone new at the helm who knows not only what makes Martinez special, but how we can build on our successes and effectively plan for the future. I aspire to be a mayor for all of Martinez who can unite the community in a shared vision.

In what ways would your leadership and style as mayor differ most from current longtime mayor Rob Schroder?

Martinez leadership has been stagnant for decades, where we have had only 4 mayors since 1970. Working in public policy and communications for most of my career, the status quo is severely lacking where the public is unaware of what is going on in the city. I will not be beholden to property owners who have controlled Martinez for decades and will work tirelessly to support our community and businesses who make our town vibrant and special.

What are three specific things you would hope to accomplish in your first year as mayor?

City Council has failed at the basics of governance, with many vacancies for critical staff positions and an inability to plan for the future. I will prioritize 1.) fully staffing city hall and the police department while reopening the front desk to the public during business hours, 2.) Working with staff and the public to finalize critical planning efforts by implementing an updated General Plan, completing our state mandated 6th Cycle Housing Element (which we are facing litigation over next year because we will miss the deadline), and updating zoning code throughout the city, and 3.) Completing the Waterfront Master Plan to revitalize our marina and waterfront to make it a destination for recreation and revenue.

What are three specific things you would do to make Martinez a more welcoming and inclusive place for residents, including those from historically marginalized communities?

1. Build more housing, particularly downtown, to meet our RHNA obligations with a healthy mix of moderate and low income units.

2. Create a robust strategic communications plan in the city that prioritizes two-way communication between residents and the city. Initiate proactive efforts with neighborhood town halls, community boards, newsletters and improved information access. 

3. Build a bench in Martinez for future leadership that incorporates new and diverse voices onto commissions, advisory boards, and task forces.

What do you see as the No. 1 challenge facing Martinez over the next four years?

The current city council has left Martinez in rough shape, where we have not done the basics of governance. With the General Plan nearly 50 years out of date, we are now going to be late on our Housing Element and, consequently, face significant litigation as a result. A quarter of all staff positions are vacant, and there are 13 vacant officer positions in the police department. We’ve had 8 City Managers in the last 20 years leading to lost continuity and institutional knowledge. Council’s failure to govern is holding Martinez back and has left us in a deep hole to dig out of.

Brianne Zorn

What qualities and priorities would you say most distinguish you from the five other candidates running for mayor?

I have run a clean and honest campaign. I have been a councilmember who values open and consistent communication with the Martinez public. I have continued to do so during the campaign, holding meet and greets throughout the City and sending out regular email communications with fact-based information to our community. I have participated in fun community events to bring a breath of fresh air to the campaign and not take myself too seriously. At the same time, I have continued to take positive actions for the City at Council meetings. The citizens of Martinez are asking for new leadership with a fresh approach and proven experience. I will be that mayor.

In what ways would your leadership and style as mayor differ most from current longtime mayor Rob Schroder?

Our current Council has historically not excelled at communication. With Brianne Zorn as mayor, I think that you will see more communication actions to dispel untruths. As an example, some campaigns are distributing information about a potential solution the Ad Hoc Subcommittee has been evaluating as part of our community conditions evaluation and recommendations to Council on November 16. Rather than acknowledge a subcommittee that is taking action on this topic for the first time in years, the campaign in question is falsely accusing us of moving forward without input from the public. I think our current Council would have stayed quiet and hoped it would blow over. Instead, upon my encouragement, the City released a fact-based social media post. Additionally, I will be presenting this update in my weekly newsletter, consistent with my other fact-based articles I have sent out during this campaign.

What are three specific things you would hope to accomplish in your first year as mayor?

1.    Completing a Waterfront Master Plan/Trust Land Use Plan of which our community can be excited and proud.

2.    Rotating Town Halls in all four of our districts to discuss issues that matter to our citizens.

3.    Identification of economic development policies to support small businesses —and to encourage new businesses in vacant spaces — both north and south of Highway 4.

What are three specific things you would do to make Martinez a more welcoming and inclusive place for residents, including those from historically marginalized communities?

1. People feel that they are part of a community when they see themselves reflected in leadership roles. Firstly, I will make updates to our commissions: making ARDPIE a permanent commission, adding youth positions to all commissions, and encouraging increased community outreach when there are vacancies.

2. I will continue to support our funding of community events and festivals. Not only do they highlight the culture of members of our community, but events also reinforce our sense of place in Martinez.

3. Citizens will see that their city is a more welcoming and inclusive place when we (as Councilmembers) earn back their trust. Increased communication and community engagement (such as rotating town halls where leadership comes to the citizens) are two of the tools in the toolbox to earn back trust.

What do you see as the No. 1 challenge facing Martinez over the next four years?

During my multiple meet and greets during the campaign, I asked voters what issues mattered to them. A recurring concern was with respect to speeding and safety on the roads. With too few officers during any given shift, they must prioritize responding to emergency calls over traffic enforcement. I think that the number one challenge facing Martinez over the next four years is going to be filling vacancies on our police force. It takes 6 months to a year for a new hire to be fully functional. Attracting and retaining high-quality candidates is going to be on the City Council’s to do list. Further, it is imperative that we continue to train our staff on modern policing and communicating the content of these trainings to the public to improve community engagement and trust in our police officers.