Adrian Kwiatkowski heads the new Strong Mayor & Council Research Institute

After more than 30 years of failure, a strong mayor initiative for the city of San Diego, Proposition F, was passed by voters in November. As the lobbyist and major behind-the-scenes architect of the initiative, Adrian Kwiatkowski will likely lend more than just a hand to those now responsible for putting the law in place at City Hall by January 2006.

Kwiatkowski already heads up a new organization, the Strong Mayor & Council Research Institute, which is serving as a repository of information and resources for other cities considering switching their form of government.

Kwiatkowski worked on the strong mayor effort as a volunteer for the past seven years, beginning when he was president of the Rancho Penasquitos Town Council at the age of 23. Earlier this year, when it appeared that Prop F might have a chance of getting on the ballot, Malin Burnham made the decision to form the Better Government Association and retained Kwiatkowski to work with the mayor and City Council to shape an initiative that could receive enough support to be placed on the ballot in November.

Kwiatkowski, who is employed as director of government relations for The Monger Co., downplays what others say will be his significant role in 2005. His immediate plans are to “go back to school.”