Ben Reynoso, Kimberly Calvin and Damon Alexander were elected in 2020 to represent Wards 5, 6 and 7 on the San Bernardino City Council, all ousting incumbents for a clean sweep of the right half of the dais. All vowed positive change.
Whether positive change happened in San Bernardino, you can be the judge. It was a tumultuous four years. All three said goodbye on Wednesday after losing reelection.
Like ice breaking off from a glacier, once again an entire wing of the council sheared off and slid into the ocean.
Their replacements — Kim Knaus, Treasure Ortiz and Mario Flores — all vowed, yes, positive change.
Some who spoke during the public comment period of Wednesday’s council meeting said positive change can’t come soon enough.
One man said he’d attended the similar swearing-in for the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors the night before and was struck by how supervisors appear to find common ground and disagree respectfully. “They get along very well and that’s something we should do,” he said.
A representative of the Carpenters Union made a similar point: “Developers don’t want nothing to do with San Bernardino because of the infighting. We congratulate you, but we also want to see change.”
Calling the last council meeting “sad,” a businessman said: “I hope you guys put the brakes on the dysfunction.”
The odds are against it, frankly. That’s not only because of recent history (and not-so-recent history) but because of some of what was said Wednesday. Still, there were positive hints too, and I always lean toward optimism.
Some 250 people attended the meeting, filling the auditorium’s seats or standing in the back. Always good to see a big turnout. I wanted to be there myself to see the changing of the guard.
Because there were 31 speakers, each got only 90 seconds, for a comment period that lasted an hour. For their farewells, Alexander, Reynoso and Calvin blabbed for 15 or 20 minutes each, consuming an hour all by themselves. More evidence that life isn’t fair.
Their monologues gave ample reason for supporters to mist up or naysayers to roll their eyes. I’m kind of in the middle. With Calvin and Reynoso, I could always appreciate their passion and intelligence, while being wary of their big personalities and self-righteousness.
Reynoso’s freewheeling remarks included contemptuously advising Councilmember Sandra Ibarra: “You need to read more.” Ibarra glared at him.
Calvin, meanwhile, said she had been “a target” and “the chosen villain” not because of any mistakes on her part but because that’s what happens “when you continuously stand for what’s right.”
She vowed to continue attending council meetings and speaking out “on what really goes on at City Hall.” In what was either a promise or a threat, she said: “Councilmember Calvin will not be leaving you.”
Alexander, for his part, stayed upbeat, listing innumerable positives and thanking dozens of people. That, too, was in keeping with his personality. However, a sure sign that you are talking too long is when you make time to thank the Water Department.
It’s too bad the San Bernardino Symphony hadn’t set up in the council chambers. Just like at the Academy Awards, they could have played walk-off music until each departing member was drowned out and had to wave goodbye.
Alexander did make a salient point about life as one of seven councilmembers. “It requires a majority to get things done,” he said, explaining that while friendships may or may not form, mutual respect is essential. He added: “Self-centered pursuits will never serve you well.”
Finally, the new and returning council members had their time in the spotlight.
That started with Juan Figueroa, who was reelected handily in Ward 3. His victory was such a yawner that it was easy to forget he’d be sworn in too. When we chatted before the meeting, I called him “the forgotten man.” He laughed.
His public remarks were typically brief and low-key. He said it was an honor to serve.
Knaus, who is also mild-mannered, said in part: “It’s time for change, real change, the change we can see, touch and feel. I look forward to changing the perception of San Bernardino on the dais.”
Flores promised to work hard and said: “San Bernardino is going to head in the right direction, I have a feeling.”
I’m not ready to bank on his hunches, but I hope he’s right.
Ortiz is a regular speaker at council meetings who won in her third attempt at public office. She’s more of a firebrand in keeping with Calvin, whom she’s replacing. Calvin, who didn’t make the ballot because she flubbed the signature requirement, swore her into office.
In her line-in-the-sand remarks, Ortiz said: “I plan to work with those who want to work and I equally plan to expose those who need to be exposed.”
Later, she said: “I want to get along with my council members. We have good people who want to do good things. And we have those who don’t. But you’re going to see that for yourself.”
Mayor Helen Tran then dropped a surprise on her colleagues.
“People have told me they see a sharp divide between the left side and the right side,” Tran said of the seating arrangement.
So rather than continue to sit in numerical order, Ward 1 through 7, which again would have grouped all the new members together, Tran put out a new seating chart. New members are interspersed among the returning faces.
Tran said she hoped that would “improve communication and build consensus.”
It was like the first day of class, with the electeds returning from a short celebratory break to look for their nameplates and find where Teacher Tran had sat them.
Figueroa was named mayor pro tem because, as Theodore Sanchez said in nominating him, he’s “calm” and may help foster a new tone.
The meeting was short and respectful.
“I love this start,” Knaus said, “and I hope this is indicative of our future.”
Probably it won’t be, but let’s take it one meeting at a time.
David Allen takes it one column at a time Friday, Sunday and Wednesday. Email dallen@scng.com, phone 909-483-9339, like davidallencolumnist on Facebook and follow @davidallen909 on X.
