Mill Valley Mayor Won’t Seek Third Term

MILL VALLEY, CA — Call it the honor system version of term limits.

The city of Mill Valley doesn’t bar councilmembers from running for public office as often as they want to, but it’s considered customary in this North Bay city that they step down after serving two four-year terms.

Mill Valley Mayor John McCauley announced at last week’s City Council meeting that he plans to honor that tradition.

McCauley’s second term on the council ends next year.

“I just want to make it clear that I am not intending to run for a third term,” McCauley said at the council’s Aug. 2 meeting.

McCauley’s announcement means there will be at least two open seats in the June 2022 election. The other will be to replace Tricia Ossa, who announced last month she was stepping down for personal reasons.

McCauley is currently serving his ninth year on the City Council. He served six years on the planning commission before that.

“I’m not going to run for a third term and I just want to make that clear,” McCauley said.

The council agreed at Monday’s meeting to initiate the process of appointing a replacement for Ossa, leaving the seat open, or holding a special election in April that would have cost the city over $100,000.

The has until Oct. 2 to appoint a replacement. It could hold special meetings to conduct interviews and make the appointment, City Clerk Kelsey Rogers told the council.