MAYORS : Get Me City Hall : Calling on Your Mayor May Be a Simple Matter

You’ve got a problem: kids on dirt bikes shatter ear drums and nearly knock preschoolers off their trikes. Or maybe you’re not exactly thrilled about plans for a trash burning plant, a big condo project or a fast-food establishment in your neighborhood.

In big cities like San Diego, mayors are so busy, your pet peeve probably won’t merit a direct audience, and a letter or phone call might take days to prompt a response, probably from an assistant.

But in North County, where the largest cities are Escondido (population 104,000) and Oceanside (population 130,000), you can expect more personal service. Not only are many mayors willing to sit down for a tete-a-tete over coffee in their office or favorite breakfast spot, but some answer mail personally, and many welcome phone calls at home.

All North County city governments have fax machines, and at least one has a computer bulletin board which fields public comments.

This is a guide to getting in touch with North County mayors. For phone numbers and addresses, see the accompanying list, then let your voice be heard.

DEL MAR

Leave a phone message at City Hall and Del Mar Mayor Jan McMillan will call you back. Write her in care of City Hall.

McMillan, who receives a salary of $300, puts in plenty of time meeting with the public at places like Del Mar Danish and Carlos and Annie’s.

“Remember, we’re the smallest city around,” said McMillan of her 5,200-population town. “But we also have one of the most involved constituencies.”

SOLANA BEACH

Call Mayor Marion Dodson at her home or office, where she works as a property manager, or leave a message at City Hall. She’ll return your call or meet personally with you.

‘I’m always surprised I don’t get more calls,” she said, estimating she receives about a dozen per week.

Dodson holds informal Saturday meetings with constituents at places like Solana Donut House.

Hot topics: the city’s view preservation ordinance and the question of where to locate a commuter railway station.

ENCINITAS

Between meetings and various public appearances, Encinitas Mayor Pam Slater estimates she has personal contact with 30 to 50 constituents each week. For $800 a month, Slater serves as mayor and sits on several city boards.

Until mid-afternoon most days, she teaches third through fifth grades at a private Montessori school.

Despite a packed agenda, Slater tries to accommodate public input, and is thinking of holding Saturday morning sessions at local malls, where she would be available to the public.

You can set up an appointment with her through the city manager’s office, write her care of City Hall, call her at home or fax your message.

Recent issues: a beach allowing dogs, noisy air blowers used by gardeners and gripes about cars and trucks with megawatt stereos.

CARLSBAD

The strangest letter he ever received said that if he didn’t sign and forward a chain letter on behalf of the homeless, all kinds of evil things would happen.

“I deep-sixed it,” confessed Carlsbad Mayor Bud Lewis, who receives communications about illegal migrants, the water shortage and growth management.

Lewis puts in full-time hours teaching at Carlsbad High School, but still gives the city 35 to 45 hours each week for a modest monthly salary of $1,000.

He tries to return all phone calls personally and is happy to meet with constituents. Lewis figures he averages three to eight calls a day and 20 letters.

OCEANSIDE

Taped New Age music greets a caller put on hold. In the city of Oceanside, the largest in North County, it’s tougher to get a powerful person on the phone.

Mayor Larry Bagley, a 10-year veteran in the $20,000-a-year job, eventually called back. He receives 80 to 90 letters a week, but answers only 25% of them. The rest are passed on to city staffers.

Bagley said constituents will often get a quicker response by calling City Manager Ron Bradley.

Bagley meets with 10 or 12 citizens a week, he said. If you drop in at City Hall unannounced, he might even squeeze you in, if he’s not busy.

VISTA

Unlike many North County mayors, Vista Mayor Gloria McClellan has no other job. She spends a sizeable portion of each day on the job.

Call her at home and husband Mac will take a message if she’s not there. McClellan estimates that she receives 40 calls a week from constituents. She meets with constituents at City Hall.

Letters are her favorite form of communication, because she then has a piece of paper she can forward to appropriate departments. She recently received 27 in less than a month, and she answers them personally.

SAN MARCOS

Along with usual modes of communication, San Marcos is the first North County city to enter the computer age. Anyone with a personal computer and a modem can go “on line” between 6 p.m. and 7 a.m., leaving messages for the mayor and council. There’s also a fax machine.

Constituents not plugged in can use other routes to access Mayor Lee Thibadeau, whose salary is “$600 a month and all the coffee I can drink.”

Thibadeau has no office at City Hall, but stops by regularly to pick up mail, generally eight to 10 letters a week. He books his own appointments with constituents, usually Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. Favorite meeting spots are Baker’s Square for breakfast and Gentleman’s Choice for lunch.

Recent subjects of interest in San Marcos: off-road vehicles, inadequate lighting on Mission Road and the need for a stop sign at Twin Oaks Valley Road and Rancheros Drive.

ESCONDIDO

Jerry Harmon replaced Doris Thurston as mayor July 2. During her term, Thurston received 15 to 20 letters a week. The mayor and City Manager Doug Clark together receive 120 to 140 calls a week, a staffer said. The volume of mail for or against various issues serves as a sort of informal vote helping council members make decisions, a clerk said.

How to contact Harmon?

“I’m listed in the phone book,” he said. A council member since 1974, Harmon said he receives five to 10 calls a week and a similar quantity of mail. Letters often bring faster action, since they can easily be passed to the appropriate staff person. Harmon has an office at City Hall, where he meets with two or three constituents a week.

POWAY

One of the easiest ways to contact Poway Mayor Don Higginson is to pull him aside during the hour preceding the city’s 7 p.m. Tuesday council meetings.

But most people write or call. Higginson gets 50 to 70 letters and 35 or 40 calls each month. He returns calls personally, and will also meet with constituents.

Hot Poway topics: charges to constituents for false alarms and a golf course and new homes proposed for the Old Coach area.

Guide to the North County Mayors

DEL MAR

Mayor Jan McMillan

City address: 1050 Camino del Mar, 92014

City phone: 755-9313

City fax: 755-2794

SOLANA BEACH

Mayor Marion Dodson

City address: 380 Stevens Ave., 92075

Work phone: 756-3011

City phone: 755-2998

City fax: 792-6513

ENCINITAS

Mayor Pam Slater

City address: 527 Encinitas Blvd., 92024

Home phone: 436-5036

City phone: 944-5056 or 944-5058

City fax: 632-9836

CARLSBAD

Mayor Bud Lewis

City address: 1200 Elm Ave., 92008

City phone: 434-2830

City fax: 720-9461

OCEANSIDE

Mayor Larry Bagley

City address: 300 N. Hill St., 92054

City phone: 966-4401

City fax: 966-4436

VISTA

Mayor Gloria McClellan

City mailing address: Box 1988, 92085

City Hall address: 600 Eucalyptus Ave.

City phone: 726-1340

Home phone: 724-5349

City fax: 945-7859

SAN MARCOS

Mayor Lee Thibadeau

City address: 105 W. Richmar Ave., 92069

City phone: 744-1050

Home phone: 744-5728

City fax: 744-7543

City computer bulletin board: 744-0511

ESCONDIDO

Mayor Jerry Harmon

City address: 201 N. Broadway, 92025

City phone: 741-4631 or 741-4610

City fax: 741-7541

POWAY

Mayor Don Higginson

City address: 13325 Civic Center Dr., 92064

City phone: 748-6600

City fax: 748-1455