Mayor Stan Kawczynski
By KATHERINE PETERSEN
Councilmember Stan Kawczynski took over as Sunnyvale's mayor Nov. 19, saying he would use the office to get more residents involved in local government.
Kawczynski will not have more power on the council than other members, but said as mayor he hopes to form a citywide neighborhood association to improve communication between residents and the council.
"I think all citizens should be more involved in their civic affairs, and that's on my agenda. This is their city, not just the seven of us," he said, referring to the council.
Kawczynski takes the place of Robin Parker, who became mayor last year based on the city's system of rotating the office among councilmembers. Parker was the first councilmember to be appointed to the post of mayor under the rotating system, which was implemented in 1995. Before that, the mayor was elected by councilmembers.
The rotating system has come under fire from some observers, including former mayors Pat Castillo and Larry Stone.
"This City Council, in terms of leadership, in my judgment has been moving in the wrong direction for a long time. They set up this rotating system for senior members, which does nothing to determine who's the most qualified to be mayor or to lead," Stone said.
A longtime proponent of a directly elected mayor, Stone, now county assessor, contends that being the mayor of Sunnyvale is more than a ceremonial post.
"Some people who've never been mayor say it's only ceremonial, but it's a leadership role. With a rotating system, there's no consideration of leadership, temperament or intellect," he said.
Kawczynski, who helped initiate the motion for a rotating system, strongly believes that if a person is elected to the council, the person is qualified to be mayor in Sunnyvale.
"Councilmembers are elected at large, and I think the constituents feel we're all capable of performing the mayor's duties. Those who pooh-pooh the system are those who would have had difficulty becoming mayor without back-room dealing," he said.
Jim Roberts, appointed vice mayor at the same meeting, said the rotating system de-politicizes the process.
"That's the basis of the policy. All councilmembers are elected equally by the people, so in that sense, we are all equally eligible. The policy can always be overridden; it's not written in concrete," he said.
The post of mayor will not change Kawczynski's voting pattern, which often leaves him standing as the council's lone dissenter.
"I will continue to vote my conscience and for my constituents. I will continue to vote on the basis of what they think and I think is in the best interest of the city," he said.
Kawczynski's tasks as mayor will include chairing City Council meetings and represent the city at functions.
Kawczynski, 50, is a retirement planner at Birchtree Financial and Sexton & Freidin. He served on the Sunnyvale's Planning Commission for four years before his election to the Council in 1991.
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, November 20, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.