Two Danville Town Council members last week succeeded in their year-long campaign to fire a pair of Danville Bicycle Advisory Commission volunteers.

It’s not the first time Councilmembers Newell Arnerich and Robert Storer have succeeded in their bullying efforts to oust city commissioners who are active, vocal and challenging, as they should be.

I know because I was a victim of similar intimidation in 2019, when I was chairperson of the Danville Arts Commission. Having previously served for eight years on the board of the San Ramon Valley Unified School District, I was not a newcomer to local government.

The Arts Commission under my leadership had revived the successful Open Studios program, bringing many residents and visitors to artists’ studios across Danville. But this was met by baseless complaints from Arnerich, who believed that commissions should only advise and not act.

Called on 30 minutes notice to an urgent meeting with Arnerich and Storer, I was told that the Arts Commission had been disbanded and its members dismissed. Its responsibilities were to be folded into the Parks Commission. I was given no explanation. Subsequently I discovered that they had not bothered to tell other commissioners, who found out when the meetings were canceled.

In a council study session last month, referring to the Arts Commission episode, Storer said that the council had “got rid of toxic commissioners.” At last week’s meeting Arnerich said that the Arts Commission dissolution resulted from “personality differences,” never raised or explained at the time. Both Arnerich and Storer appear to have a casual relationship to the facts.

The move against the Bicycle Advisory Commission, which began last year, was a repeat performance. At first, Arnerich and Storer tried to disband the commission. When the rest of the council balked, they moved instead to oust Al Kalin and Bruce Bilodeau, the main targets of their wrath.

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Kalin and Bilodeau have excellent reputations as experts on bicycle safety, as acknowledged by council members at Tuesday’s meeting. Yet, Kalin said, Arnerich and Storer subjected him to a campaign of intimidation, threats and bullying — an accusation they did not deny.

And, last week, the two councilmembers succeeded in their quest as the council voted 3-1 to remove Kalin and Bilodeau from the bicycle commission.

As a former school trustee and frequent liaison to Danville, I have a deep understanding of the importance of volunteer commissions to the success of local governments and strengthening of community. As a longtime turnaround CEO of troubled companies, I know what makes effective leadership. In Arnerich and Storer’s case, this appears to be lacking.

RELATED: Borenstein: Bay Area bicycle safety advocates face troubling intimidation

Members of the Arts Commission and the Bicycle Advisory Commission were dedicated and experienced. In both cases, a majority of the Danville Town Council chose to eliminate valuable volunteer assistance and make it much more difficult to recruit commission (or other) volunteers in the future.

Councilmember Karen Stepper strongly disagreed with the process and the conclusion at last week’s meeting. “This is insane,” she said. “This is not how you treat commissioners and get good commissioners.”

The Danville community deserves better. But with Arnerich entering his 30th year on the council and historically little council turnover, it may take a while for the Danville council to improve.

Chris Kenber is a retired CEO and management consultant who served on the board of the San Ramon Valley Unified School District from 1992-2000.