May 2025
Daren Fields served in local government for 30 years including as a city manager. He’s passionate about teaching others about local government and brings an insider's perspective to the discussion. He is teaching Local Government from the Ground Up with us this summer.
You've spent years teaching how local government really works — what have your students been most gobsmacked to learn?
Probably the biggest surprise is how complex local government is. There are multiple layers and levels, including cities, counties, school districts, and special districts. Maybe the best analogy is that local government is like a department store — some are Macy’s and some are Nordstrom’s. You can’t walk into a Macy’s and complain about what Nordstrom’s is doing. You have to go to Nordstrom’s. People often are confused about the basic type of service each level of local government provides.
In addition, most people don't fully appreciate the impact local government has on their everyday lives. From the moment a person wakes up in the morning and turns on the water to brush their teeth to walking around on sidewalks or driving on streets during the day, people are directly impacted by the quality of services and programs local government provides.
Recalls seem to be on the rise, which can be viewed as either undemocratic with big-money trying to push out the will of the people or empowering since people get to have a voice if they think things have gone off the rails. Are recalls being used more these days or does it just seem that way?
Recalls are rooted in California’s Progressive Movement of the early 1900s and have been on the books for over a hundred years. Historically, recalls were used sparingly — usually to remove officials for illegal or unethical behavior. More recently, though, they’ve been used as a way to quickly overturn election results, especially when those on the losing side feel they can take another shot.
In Oakland and other cities, ranked-choice voting has also played into this dynamic. Candidates sometimes win an election without a majority in the initial round of voting but secure enough second-choice votes to win overall. That leads to a situation where, as soon as controversy arises, people feel, “I didn’t vote for that person” — and they’re often right in the sense that the winner wasn’t the first choice for a majority of first ballot voters. The result is their support can fade quickly, which feeds the success of recall efforts.
Ranked choice is just a very different system than many of us used for most of our voting lives. Advocates say ranked-choice saves money because there's no need for a second runoff election. Another argument is that it moderates the positions a candidate takes. If you're trying to get not only first-choice votes but also second-choice votes, you need to appeal to a broader segment of the electorate. The idea is this discourages extremism and encourages consensus candidates.
Can you talk about the strengths and weaknesses of the strong-mayor versus council-manager forms of government?
For cities, there are two forms of government: the strong mayor form and the council-manager form. Most cities in California use the council-manager model, including three of the five largest cities in the Bay Area. The exceptions are San Francisco and Oakland, which have what’s called a "strong mayor" system — though each is unique. The pros and cons of each system are complex and we will delve into them during the class so sign up to find out more!
Some forms of government are established when a city is first incorporated. Others, like in Oakland, were voted on years later. Measure X, passed in 1998, changed Oakland's government from a council-manager form to a quasi-strong mayor form. Often people don’t fully appreciate how important those kinds of votes are, and the huge impact they have on how the city is governed and how services are delivered. A number of community members in Oakland are currently discussing whether to update or modify its form of government.
Where does the real center of power reside when it comes to cities, counties and state?
The center of power starts with the federal government, which pushes responsibilities to the states, and then the states push things down to local governments. Counties, in particular, are political subdivisions of the state — they’re essentially creatures of the state. So there’s always a push-pull dynamic between state and local governments, but the state has the upper hand, especially because they control finances and can often override local control by passing state legislation.
That said, while the state holds a lot of power, the real action — the place where people feel government most directly — is at the local level. That’s where the rubber meets the road.
You served in city government as a city manager for many years. You’ve seen what works and what doesn’t. What can people do at the local level to affect positive change?
There are lots of opportunities at the local level to make a difference, and it's really the place where one person can have an impact. I have plenty of examples throughout my career of one person bringing up an issue and carrying it through to the end, resulting in changes to city policy and improvements to projects that were being built. One person can have their voice heard, especially with a local city council — and even more so with a special district, where very few people understand what special districts do and how they impact their lives.
It sounds like volunteering is a good way to get involved.
Yes! There are so many volunteer opportunities available. If you're a resident in Oakland or Berkeley, there are a number of local boards and commissions that are city-run or school district-run. They are always looking for volunteers. Whether your interest is transportation, parks, or planning and zoning, there’s a local board or commission waiting for you.
And if you really want to step up your game, I would recommend volunteering for the Alameda County Grand Jury. It's a year-long commitment but very rewarding. Their mission is to make government more effective and efficient. They review agencies, departments, and systems, looking at what’s working and what isn’t. They spend a year exploring and making recommendations to improve how things are run.
What do you hope OLLI members take away from your course?
A real understanding of what local government does, how it affects their lives, how it can improve their lives, and how one individual can influence what happens in their community. People really can have a positive impact on how local government serves their communities.