Third District City Councilmember Toni Atkins was appointed deputy mayor on Dec. 1 by Mayor Dick Murphy, becoming the first member of the GLBT community to serve as deputy mayor in San Diego. The appointment, made official at a regularly scheduled council meeting, received unanimous support from the city council.

“I’m really pleased,” Atkins told the Gay and Lesbian Times. “This is a very symbolic thing for the LGBT community. But I would also add that it is an important thing for the whole community of District Three. That I know of, in the last fifteen years, [no one from] District Three, regardless of who it was — Hartley, Chris Kehoe — [has] been appointed to fill the deputy mayor position. So it’s significant for District Three. It is also significant for the gay community because it does mean that we can fully participate in the civic life and the leadership in San Diego.”

As deputy mayor, Atkins is responsible for running city council meetings and chairing the Rules Committee in the mayor’s absence, as well as meeting with visiting dignitaries and representing the city at official government, civic and social functions when the mayor cannot attend. Similar to a vice president, a deputy mayor takes over mayoral duties if an emergency or catastrophe prevents the mayor from fulfilling them.

Mayor Murphy told the Union Tribune late last year that he had wanted to appoint Atkins as deputy mayor in 2003, but held off until 2004 to give her time to fulfill other city council obligations. Councilmember Ralph Inzunza served as deputy mayor in 2003.

“The mayor talked with me about making my appointment in 2003,” Atkins said. “I knew that Councilmember Inzunza was also interested, and, giving the number of committees I wanted to sit on in 2003, I passed on it and said I’d like to be considered for 2004. My focus in 2003 was to be on the Land Use and Housing Committee, so I could work on housing issues. So it worked out. We had a wonderful deputy mayor in 2003.”

Being a first in San Diego, the appointment was not without controversy. San Diego resident Don Stillwell appeared at the Dec. 1 city council meeting to protest Atkins’ appointment.

“[Stillwell] didn’t interrupt,” Atkins explained. “He filled out a speaker’s slip, which is the typical way you get to speak on any item. He pulled the item from consent because he wanted to speak, and he spoke in opposition to the mayor appointing me, basically for religious reasons and because I am a member of the LGBT community — that was specifically why he wanted the mayor to change his recommendation.”

Stillwell told the council: “As I read my Bible, I believe that God will not be pleased by this appointment. The Bible shows what God can do when man displeases him often enough. With this building built over a fault, and with the Pacific Ocean such a short distance away, I would not want to be in this building when God finally decides he doesn’t like what is happening here.”

“I nominated Toni Atkins because she is the best qualified person to be deputy mayor of this city,” Mayor Murphy responded, according to reports. “Toni Atkins is one of the hardest working, one of the most intelligent persons we have on this council.”

Ralph Inzunza also responded to Stillwell’s comments. “I don’t know who your God is, but he ain’t mine,” he said. “My God loves everyone, and for you to make those comments is wrong. It’s sickening. What you did right now was wrong. And, hopefully, God will forgive you.”

“Obviously, it still remains a controversy,” Atkins said of the commotion. “So that’s a reminder to us that as much as we have made great strides in California, in San Diego, in the country, that there are still people who don’t believe that we have the right to be there.… The mayor’s comments were very generous.… it was reaffirming to get that support from the mayor and the council.”

Atkins will hold the position of deputy mayor until Dec. 6, 2004.