Adena Ishii took office last December amid significant turnover on the City Council and national political uncertainty after Donald Trump's election. She arrived as a relative political newcomer leading a Council where five of nine members had been in their seats less than a year. The mayor holds limited formal power and cannot appoint most City Hall staff, but she influences the budget and council agendas and can be out-voted. Ishii has steered major debates on rezoning flatland neighborhoods and vegetation management in the Berkeley Hills. She emphasizes self-care, instituted stretching breaks, created a staff lounge, maintains an active community presence on Instagram, and faces a gloomy budget outlook alongside concerns about the federal administration's stance toward liberal cities.
Ishii doesn't appoint City Hall staff outside of her own office that's the role of the city manager and while she has an influential role in shaping the budget and council agendas, she can be out-voted by her colleagues, which has happened on some contentious issues. But, as the head of the City Council, Ishii has steered the body through several major debates, such as those about a plan to rezone most flatland neighborhoods to allow smaller apartment buildings,
Ishii's distinct style has left its mark as well. She talks often about taking time for self-care, and has made stretching breaks a routine part of City Council meetings. She also converted part of her office on the fifth floor of City Hall, where the mayor and council work, into a staff lounge that she hopes will encourage a more convivial atmosphere among elected officials and their staffers.
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