EXCLUSIVE
NEW MAYOR MET STERN RESISTANCE FROM SAN LEANDRO COUNCILMEMBERS
By Steven Tavares
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| Mayor Stephen Cassidy tried to remove Hollister with six months remaining on his contract. |
San Leandro Mayor Stephen Cassidy attempted to remove the city’s lame-duck city manager Jan. 18, according to sources familiar with the closed session meeting that night. The council did not relent to Cassidy’s demand Stephen Hollister be excused before his contract expires June 30. One source described the exchange as far more charged than most meeting conducted in either open or closed session.
There were rumors of Cassidy’s intent to cut Hollister loose earlier than planned when the agenda for the Jan. 18 council meeting listed a closed session item relating to the city manager’s job review, even though the subject appeared resolved nearly a month earlier.
Hollister abruptly announced his intention to let his contract run out Dec. 21 after the council handed down a vote of no-confidence. Hollister, who has not publicly spoken on the issue, chose to stay on the job until his contract runs out in the summer. Cassidy, though, was intent on moving along without Hollister while the city spends up to $25,000 searching for his replacement. The two have not been in the best of friends in the past even though they share similar beliefs on pension reform, which Cassidy has championed. Last October, Cassidy criticized Hollister’s role in the city’s worsening budget situation.
Cassidy and his surrogates on the San Leandro School Board of Trustee have utilized a similar strategy in the past for ousting a city executive. During his four-year term on the school board, Cassidy pushed for the dismissal of former superintendent Christine Lim. The duel of personalities ended two years later when the votes for her dismissal were slowly added to the board and was fired in Dec. 2009. Critics of the move partly on the basis of the cash-strapped school district was on the for six months of Lim’s salary with roughly $100,000 remaining on her contract. Hollister earns a salary of just over $200,000.
According to sources, Cassidy’s plan to move along without Hollister was met with stern opposition. Chief among concerns is the city’s rapid recent changeover in leadership and continuing budget uncertainty in San Leandro. Assistant City Manager Lianne Marshall, who may have been a candidate on an interim basis, has also only been with the city for just over a year.
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I hope Cassidy is just getting off to a bad start and will grow into the position and build effective relationships. Its early, but it is not looking very good and this city needs so much work, we as a community can not afford this kind of start. Our future is at a turning point, so please get with it Mr. Mayor and City Council members.
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Cassidy is reportedly angry over “leakers.” the City has given the pink slip to the city manager and Cassidy chooses to push him out six months ahead of time. Why? Why in this manner? Why not make his idea public? He doesn't want to play in front of the bright lights. Instead, he prefers to play in the dark force everything to become a confidential discussion.
Why hasnt the tally and votes of the council regarding Hollister's no-confidence vote been disclosed?
I should remind you the existence of leakers means Cassidy is doing something wrong at City Hall or the entire building already hates the guy, or both.
Questions are building and the marketing lawyer needs to hire PR
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In answer to above's question; as long was we have anti-free market types running this town into the ground, then NO, it will continue to sprial downward.
Manuel
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I really want to like this city, but it is so hard to do. Is there any hope in this semi-sleepy, not too bad, not too good, boring and downscale small city attached to Oakland?
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It's interesting that the Babooze Tavares is talking about “affordable housing” at the San Leandro Crossings but is too blind to see the affordable housing at all the apartment complexes in San Leandro. Can any babooze be that stupid?
Hey all you sore losers. Santos lost, get over it. Cassidy hasn't been in there 30 days and you're already saying he's lousy? WTF? And Cassidy,have a little pride in your appearance for crying out loud, you're starting to look like Katz.
Manuel
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SLCAN will continue to pollute any area that they nest. This City is just like a small banana republic in which the long time dictator died and there was no one groomed to take over. Even that rolly polly greasy dope Galvan got out, and he thought he would become Mayor!!!!!!!!!!
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SLCAN are committed liberal utopians. The tri-valley has too many white people, too many thriving businesses and it's too far from Mecca (Berkeley) to be habitable.
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No more redevelopment affordable housing, but plenty of ghetto housing coming, nearly all of the 1960's and 1970's apartment buildings in town are headed that way. This city is headed for its last gasps and then into the dumper it goes! SLCAN better get going and prove there is some CAN-do left in them. Otherwise they will be heading up over the Dublin grade with many others to escape the final descent into decline.
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“Chief among concerns is the city’s rapid recent changeover in leadership and continuing budget uncertainty” Haha, the city council didn't seem to be too concerned with the budget uncertainty when they approved the 2 year contract. And wtf is a rapid recent leadership changeover??? It's called an election you morons. Stop playing us for fools. And please stop bringing up Cassidy's school board days. If that's all you have you are truly pathetic. It's not even the remotely the same. The council already voted not to renew Hollister's contract.
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Cassidy is the first non-corrupt mayor. The fact that he votes for the benefit of the people of San Leandro and not the unions, developers and Sentinels means he will get press and the people will take notice, until all the morons are voted off the council (4 more to go, Cutter is teetering on the edge, but usually does what Cassidy wants). Cassidy got whom he wanted on the school board and fired Lim. He's already had Hollister fired, and will soon work the replace the council. Better make friends with SLCAN, haters–they're going to call to dictate those on the council next election. The fact that Gubernor Brown is ended redevelopment means no more taxpyor-funded ghetto housing in San Leandro – the town is already headed in the right direction.
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Stephen has finally figured out that he is just a vote with no influence beyond that single vote. He is a simple one term mayor. Unless of course the others figure out that if they can create a majority they will be able to sweep aside the past 'bosses' in favor of the new bosses. When the tax increase is voted down this Spring we will all get the chance to knuckle down and play. Mel
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City Manager/Weak Mayor system = Cassidy needs to build better relationships and needs to develop and use more impressive political skills with his fellow council members. I hope he figures that out very soon.
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He should worry about getting rid of that weight first so he lives a little while longer.
Same goes to Katz.
Paul
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If San Leandro was set up with a strong mayor, Cassidy would be set. Here the mayor is basically another councimember so he has to learn to play along. I'm not impressed with the early going either.
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I think Cassidy is blowing it already, he does not seem to have very good relational skills or political skills with his colleagues, and he needs those relationships and goodwill to make any significant changes in San Leandro.
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Cassidy sure does get the dummies in power out of town – Lim, Santos, and now Hollister. Hopefully Luke Sims is next!
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