City councils in Del Rey Oaks and Greenfield are stuck in gridlock.

The increasing polarization in government is something that for years has felt to me like a story playing out on the national stage. At the local level, the incentive is to focus on the areas we can all agree on – everyone is for safer streets and thriving downtowns, no matter your views on abortion or gun control. I think of get-stuff-done local government as the antidote, so it’s disappointing to see two local city councils so divided they are struggling to even fill their ranks to get to five members.

In Greenfield, two city council members faced off for the mayor’s position last November. Bob White beat Yanely Martinez, creating a vacancy for his old seat, with a term that runs through 2024. The council has two choices: Hold a special election – which wouldn’t happen until March of 2024 – or appoint someone.

A similar scenario is unfolding in Del Rey Oaks, where former councilmember Scott Donaldson unseated mayor Alison Kerr, leaving his former council seat vacant. The choices: Hold a special election in November 2023, or appoint someone to the vacant seat.

In both cities, the four members of council agree it would be wise to appoint rather than hold a costly special election. But both councils are split over the decision of who to appoint, a decision that has come to represent something of a proxy for which political camp you support, and each is divided 2-2. With battle lines drawn, things devolve quickly.

In Greenfield, White advocated to appoint Drew Tipton, who ran (and lost) for re-election to City Council, in a new district election format that saw him running against his colleague, Angela Untalon. (Untalon and Martinez offered up a few counter-motions, including to appoint former mayor John Huerta or community activist Beatriz Diaz.)

In Del Rey Oaks, supporters of the former mayor showed up en masse at a Jan. 5 meeting to advocate that Kerr be appointed directly to the vacant seat, with 16 speakers suggesting it. Given that Donaldson had just challenged her – successfully – it would have been wild to see him turn around and appoint her to the vacancy. I also think it’s anti-democratic for supporters of a candidate who lost the mayorship to ask the council to then immediately reappoint the loser.

One perk of appointments – when they work – is they encourage applicants who may lack the temperament to run for office, but may be dedicated, engaged and excellent public servants. Otherwise we end up with the same few people cycling in and out of the public square.

That’s what happened in Del Rey Oaks, where council opted to open up an application process, with six contenders – all of whom have current or former experience in city government, either on council, the Planning Commission, or both.

“You campaigned on the idea of stopping the divisiveness,” Councilmember Kim Shirley said to Donaldson. “You have the opportunity with this vote to bring us together, to be a functioning council.”

Yet two-and-a-half hours of excruciating conversation followed, as 2-2 votes persisted. There would be no compromise, and nobody on the dais articulates exactly why they objected to any particular candidate. As they deliberated in circles, four of the six applicants spoke up to withdraw their applications.

These appointments represent bigger political divisions, largely unspoken. What’s ironic is that on most things, councils can reach consensus. Yet the few topics on which applicants disagree, or seem to disagree, are enough to create an impasse.

A 2022 analysis by the International City/County Management Association, based on data collected by polling company Polco, found nearly 70 percent of government officials say political division negatively impacts their organization. “As much as local governments intend to be apolitical, the impact of the national divide is now hitting home locally,” Michelle Kobayashi of Polco told ICMA.

After things devolved in Greenfield, the next council meeting on Jan. 10 was cooperative; an application period for the vacant seat closed on Jan. 31.

Del Rey Oaks has yet to figure out a next step. They have until Feb. 10 to fill the seat, or they’ll have to go to an election. That is the kind of story we expect from Washington, not local leaders.

SARA RUBIN is the Weekly’s editor. Reach her at sara@mcweekly.com