Heidi Harmon stepping down as SLO mayor to take climate advocacy job
In a surprise move, San Luis Obispo Mayor Heidi Harmon announced on Thursday that she’s resigning next month with more than a year left in her term to take a new climate advocacy job at a Santa Cruz nonprofit.
Harmon — who has served as mayor since 2016 — will leave office on Sept. 26 to begin her position as a senior public affairs director at the Romero Institute, a law and public policy center, a city news release said.
“Let’s be clear. I’m stepping down to step up,” Harmon said. “This moment demands that we do everything in our power to address the climate emergency, and in my new role, I’ll have the opportunity to work with elected officials, community leaders, environmental organizations policy professionals and people like all of you across the state to ensure that California embraces its ability to make real change happens right now while we still have time.”
Harmon was scheduled to finish her third two-year team in December 2022. The City Council will meet on Sept. 7 to decide whether to appoint Harmon’s replacement or hold a special election to fill the vacancy.
Vice Mayor Erica Stewart will lead the City Council until members decide how to proceed, the release said.
Harmon said she decided to resign as mayor “to be able to do as much as possible to address the growing climate crisis,” the release said.
“It has been an extremely rewarding experience and an honor to serve the community of San Luis Obispo, and I look forward to stepping up to a broader statewide role with the Romero Institute,” Harmon said in the release. “I am so grateful to our council, community and staff for being climate leaders who have done so much on this issue so that I can move on and amplify this type of climate leadership at the state level.”
SLO City Council members react to Harmon’s resignation
San Luis Obispo leaders congratulated Harmon on her new position and expressed disappointment at her departure.
“Congratulations to Mayor Harmon on her exciting new opportunity focused on her true passions: public advocacy regarding environmental and social justice issues,” Councilmember Carlyn Christianson said in the release. “I’ve especially admired her commitment to civility from the dais, and for her clear leadership around the climate crisis facing our world today. The city and the council will miss her dedication and energy.”
Councilmember Andy Pease said the city is “grateful for Mayor Harmon’s service to the community.”
“Mayor Harmon’s passion and commitment to foster sustainability and address climate change have been impactful and inspiring, helping to establish the city of San Luis Obispo as a climate leader,” Pease said in the release. “Although we will miss her insights and experience at the local level, her new position will expand her influence to address the immediate challenges our world faces with the climate crisis.”
Harmon a longtime climate action advocate
Even before assuming her city leadership role, Harmon was an outspoken environmental activist who organized community protests against the oil industry, leading the fight to stop the Phillips 66 rail spur expansion project in 2016.
The county Board of Supervisors ultimately denied the proposal to build a rail spur that would allow it to deliver 6.6 million gallons of crude oil by rail each week to its Nipomo Mesa refinery.
Harmon called it a “dangerous, dirty and detrimental project” proposal in 2017, when the company appealed the decision. Phillips 66 lost its case on appeal in a 3-1 supervisors vote.
Serving on the SLO council, Harmon made climate action a top priority. She was vocal in her support of a 2035 carbon neutrality target and the city’s plan to accomplish that goal, ahead of the state of California’s 2045 goal.
At its July 6 meeting, Harmon and the SLO City Council adopted a resolution called “Lead by Example” that establishes a pathway to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across SLO’s city government operations to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.
Inspired by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who Harmon supported as a national Democratic delegate, she catapulted into her leadership position by edging out incumbent Jan Marx by 47 votes in a tight 2016 mayoral race. (Marx was re-elected as a council member in 2020.)
Harmon won in landslides in her next two elections.
Beside her climate action emphasis, Harmon cited housing affordability, diversity and inclusion, alternative transportation, and cultivating civility among her past campaign goals.
Harmon’s mayoral controversies
In her time as mayor, Harmon also has been a lighting rod for criticism, calling upon locals to initiate a Valentine’s day “break-up” with the e-commerce giant Amazon, citing the large corporation’s impact on local business and economic viability.
In response, Amazon fired back, citing its investment in a SLO office branch employing 130 people with high-paying jobs and contending it had invested more than $33 million in the city, among other claims about its economic impact.
The mayor also faced criticism from members of the community, including radio host Adam Montiel, for blocking residents on social media in violation of information accessibility laws.
Montiel contended that Harmon was shutting off people who disagreed with her on issues.
City Attorney Christine Dietrick said that Harmon often has been the target of hateful, “toxic” social media comments directed at her and her supporters.
Harmon cut her social media use, saying she’s pausing “all social media to focus on what’s really important right now: our city and our citizens. Our newsletter will be the main way we can all stay connected.”
This story was originally published August 26, 2021 at 4:18 PM.
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