San Mateo City Councilmember Amourence Lee was appointed mayor Monday night after a week of infighting and uncertainty.
Under the city’s rotational system, the most senior council member serves as mayor. As the senior-most member, Lee was supposed to assume the position on Dec. 5. But the move was blocked by two new council members, Lisa Diaz Nash and Robert Newsom.
Nash and Newsom said the appointment of a mayor and deputy mayor should come only after the council had selected a replacement for former Councilmember Diane Papan, who vacated her seat after being elected to the state Assembly.
"No (beef between us), I mean Councilmember Lee and I've worked together before," Nash said.
"Once we select that fifth councilmember, then we can turn to have all five of them to select the mayor and deputy mayor. And at that point, I look forward to proudly voting for Councilmember Lee as our next mayor."
The delay left San Mateo without a mayor for over a week and set a ‘sad’ and ‘scary’ precedent, according to Lee.
“I believe that we are in uncharted and very dangerous territory. And I absolutely believe that this is sowing seeds of division and strife that will take years to repair,” she told KPIX.
The drama spilled over into the council’s meeting on Monday night when a replacement for Papan was to be named. Lee alleged the process had been “poisoned.” She claims two people approached her in the preceding days offering to help her become mayor. In exchange, she would have to vote for Cliff Robbins as Papan’s replacement.
Nash and Newsom were upset by the allegations. They demanded Lee reveal who allegedly made that offer and provide proof that it happened. She declined. Robbins was also angry at the accusations, which he denied any involvement in, and mentioned potential legal action against the city. Nash then announced he’d reconsidered supporting Lee for mayor because of her behavior.
In the end, the council voted to appoint Rich Hedges to the city council instead of Robbins. Newsom voted in favor of his appointment. Nash said he couldn’t after what had taken place.
Hedges was sworn in immediately and Lee was unanimously appointed mayor thereafter, making history as the first Asian American female mayor in the city’s history.
In what he called an act of “healing,” Hedges’ first action on the dais was a motion to appoint Nash as deputy mayor. Lee seconded that motion and the council voted unanimously to appoint Nash to the position.