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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/5/2021 Item 6a, Baltodano VIA E-MAIL ONLY October 1, 2021 City of San Luis Obispo Attn: Vice Mayor and City Council 990 Palm Street San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 Re: Letter in Support of Vice Mayor Erica A. Stewart for Mayor Dear Vice Mayor Stewart and Councilmembers Christianson, Marx, and Pease: I am writing to recommend appointing the current Vice Mayor of the City of San Luis Obispo, Erica A. Stewart, to fill the vacancy for Mayor. Appointing Vice Mayor Stewart, a sitting councilmember, to serve as Mayor would be the least disruptive way to fill the vacancy left by former Mayor Harmon’s mid-term resignation. Moreover, Vice Mayor Stewart has proven to be an effective leader, independent thinker, and passionate advocate for all City residents. The last eighteen months have been challenging for our community. Many individuals, business owners, families, and children continue to be burdened by the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic, education, and healthcare impacts. Women, and especially women of color, have disproportionately felt the impacts of this devastating public health crisis, which has only served to highlight inequities that predated the pandemic, such as housing and homelessness, systemic racism, mental health, and policing. Meanwhile, all residents continue to be impacted by a changing climate—something this City Council has taken quite seriously. Itwould be in the best interest of the City of San Luis Obispo to appoint Vice Mayor Stewart as Mayorbecause her appointment would ensure continuity at a time when the community is craving less, not more, disruption. Vice Mayor Stewart is an elected official who has already been vetted. As Mayor, Ms. Stewart would not only be positioned to continue the important work the city is already doing, but also bring a level head, spirit of collaboration, distaste for hyper-partisanship, and commitment to integrity that residents are craving. There are others who have applied for the Mayor appointment; they will each have an opportunity to run a proper campaign for election and be vetted by the public in 2022, just as Ms. Stewart willneed to do to retain her appointed seat. With respect to the candidates seeking appointment for a City Council seat if Ms. Stewart is appointed Mayor, I have the utmost faith that the new Mayor andcurrent City Council members understand first-hand what the job of councilmember entails and will appoint an individual who is committed to the values of equity and inclusion, has demonstrated professionalism and integrity, and embodies the passion and intellectual curiosity necessary to do the hard work of public service. Based on my engagement as a local attorney and law professor, business owner, and parent of school-agechildren, as well as my volunteer and appointed leadership roles in a variety of non- profit organizations and with San Luis Coastal Unified School District and the County of San Luis Obispo, I encourage you to give careful consideration to the councilmember applications of Joe Benson, Michelle Sorensen, and Mila Vujovich-Le Barre. I strongly support Vice Mayor Erica S. Stewart for Mayor and any of the above-mentioned individuals for City Council. Thank you for all you do and thank you for supporting an abundantly transparent appointment process. Sincerely Erica Flores Baltodano, Esq.