On the first and third Wednesday of each month, a Larkspur City Council meeting is held to discuss change and listen to community members’ concerns. The Mayor of Larkspur, Scot Candell, leads every meeting for city council members and is open to the community. But Candell is more than just a mayor and community member. He is a Redwood parent with two sons, a freshman and a junior.
In Marin, being elected to the position of mayor is different than one might think. All 11 cities and towns in Marin County vote for their city council members except San Rafael, a charter city, leading them to have a direct election for mayor.
Currently, there are four council members in Larkspur, and they will all eventually rotate into the position of mayor sometime within four years.
Candell joined the council in December 2019 and took the mayor position this year. He will be asked to rerun for city council next year in 2025. As a city council member, he learned what it takes to be a good mayor.
“You learn how the procedures work. Your first day [as mayor], you don’t know what to do, so as city council, you get to watch the sitting mayor run the meetings,” Candell said.
Being mayor, you take on many different responsibilities as the success and struggles of your city rely on you. However, according to the City of Larkspur public records, the mayor makes $330 monthly. To Candell, the job is not about money.
“My motto as mayor is pretty similar to that of a doctor, which is, do not do any harm. I think we live in a fantastic place and I don’t want to screw it up. So [when] issues come up, we try to deal with them in a way that’s going to make our city better or at least keep it the way it is,” Candell said.
Candell has looked up to former mayor Catherine Way throughout his time on council. Way is the current Vice Mayor of Larkspur and has served the city since 2013. Way was initially unsure about Candell, as he hadn’t had previous experience as a board member or commissioner.
“I’ll admit, I was a little concerned at first. He did not have [any board member or commissioner experience]. [This] would [make it] challenging for him [to take on this new role]. It t
ook him a little time to figure out the process, which we all do. It took me three or four years to figure it out [but he is doing great now],” Way said.
Candell and Way face many challenges as they work together to improve the city of Larkspur. Current issues that they are working to address include affordable housing, new bond measures, the Redwood parking situation (as the back parking lot will be closed next year) and other community events.
Way’s concerns quickly faded away and she believes that Candell’s problem-solving experience as a criminal law attorney makes him an excellent mayor.
“I like Scott; he’s very smart and decisive. He thinks through every issue and wants to reach a conclusion, which is often hard to do,” Way said.
Infographic courtesy of Linnea Koblik
