This is Spotswood for Breakfast Sunday
"Marin voters, or at least the 29 percent of them who showed up at the polls last week, sent a shot across the bow to members of the Board of Supervisors. The message: shape up or you're fired.
Voters were not happy. That was especially true in the San Rafael-centered 1st Supervisorial District where three-term incumbent Susan Adams was summarily dismissed, receiving only 41 percent of the vote.
What was expected to be a close race turned into a rout. San Rafael Councilman Damon Connolly overwhelmed Adams with 59 percent of the votes in an unusually low-turnout election.
Find out what's happening in Novatowith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Adams is a decent supervisor, but a terrible politician.
Voters' anger started with avoidable missteps over plans to erect high-density housing on the site of the old Marinwood Plaza shopping center. The fact that incumbent supervisors were perceived to be acquiescent if not supportive of moves by Bay Area regional alphabet agencies to usurp local planning control contributed to their unpopularity.
Find out what's happening in Novatowith free, real-time updates from Patch.
In North Marin's 5th Supervisorial District, re-election should have been easy for incumbent Judy Arnold. While a liberal Democrat, Arnold is still the most moderate on a left-leaning Board of Supervisors. Unlike Adams, the personable two-term supervisor is also a pretty good politician.
She wasn't good enough to avoid a virtual tie with Toni Shroyer, a Novato businesswoman and real estate agent, who made the election a vote of confidence on the entire Board of Supervisors.
Win or lose, Shroyer, along with supervisor-elect Connolly caused an earthquake at Big Pink, Marin's Civic Center. It won't be lost on the other three supervisors — Kate Sears, Steve Kinsey and Katie Rice — that they might face similar hurdles if they opt to run for re-election in 2016.
The 5th District race isn't over. According to Marin Registrar of Voters Elaine Ginnold, there are about 300 votes to be counted in that race.
Shroyer needs to garner a significant majority of the uncounted votes — a Herculean task — but it's not over yet. "
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Sunday!
