You say this as if they weren't doing that behind the scenes and getting an inadequate response.
It isnt a 'political stunt' to demand the correct actions be taken, publicly if necessary. These are public officials, after all.
So you go the better route that will get more done, have the mayors openly do something if you want that to happen. Yes they are public officials and they are supposed to do things for the public good, they are doing it the wrong way to accomplish what they want. So at that point it’s a stunt.