Good article about the Sebastopol City Council election.
Don't miss the study of contrast of the two new council members left hands! :waccosun:
Barry
https://i.imgur.com/yv1Iu.png
New Council installed, Kyes elected mayor for 2013
https://www.sonomawest.com/sonoma_west_times_and_news/news/new-council-installed-kyes-elected-mayor-for/article_8a4897f4-3f32-11e2-a72b-001a4bcf887a.html
Posted: Wednesday, December 5, 2012 3:47 pm
by David Abbott Sonoma West Editor
[email protected]
Final election results favor John Eder over Kathleen Shaffer
A sense of triumph infused City Council chambers in Sebastopol Tuesday night, as the roomful of supporters cheered on the “dream team” of Robert Jacob and John Eder, who were sworn in after election results were finalized last Friday.
Jacob pulled in 2,335 votes, or 29.4 percent, while Eder — after a drawn-out process that began with his nine-vote lead on election night — squeaked by incumbent Kathleen Shaffer by 62 votes.
When the final votes were tallied, Eder ended up with 1,992 votes, 25.1 percent, and Shaffer had 1,930, or 24.3 percent.
https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/sonomawest.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/59/b59359c6-3f32-11e2-99ec-001a4bcf887a/50bfdc0d0094a.preview-300.jpg
New Vice Mayor Robert Jacob (right) and Councilmember
John Eder (center) are sworn in Tuesday night by City Clerk Mary Gourley.
David AbbotThe two remaining candidates, former councilmember and mayor Kathy Austin, and Colleen Fernald, wound up with 1,488 votes (18.8 percent) and 191 (2.4 percent) respectively.
In the midst of the hoopla, now-former Mayor Guy Wilson, who did not seek reelection, called for peace after a “polarizing” campaign, praising City staff who he said are often taken for granted and have been the target of unfair criticism in the wake of the CVS/Chase decision that became the central issue of the 2012 election.
“We’re at a crossroads in the sense we’ve just finished a difficult and somewhat contentious campaign,” Wilson said. “There needs to be some coming together going forward.”
Wilson, who was elected during the contentious Northeast Area Specific Plan discussions in 2008, voted along with Shaffer and Councilmember Patrick Slayter, who both voted in favor of the CVS/Chase project, while Councilmember Sarah Gurney and newly elected Mayor Michael Kyes voted against it.
“My point of view ultimately didn’t resonate with the community,” Wilson said. “I probably would have lost based on that one vote.”
He also took the opportunity to thank Shaffer, who was not in attendance, praising her dedication to the community and her work during her time on Council.
“She came very close to being elected and deserved to be re-elcted,” he said. “We need people like Kathleen,” who has a good heart, he said, and a willingness to serve.
After honoring Wilson, Council moved on to its annual election.
Kyes was to sole nominee for mayor — nominations were closed once Gurney put his name forward — and Jacob, who is the first Latino to serve on Sebastopol Council, was quickly elected to the vice mayor position.
Once the candidates were sworn in and the new mayor was put in place, the new members gave brief statements, followed by public comment.
“I would like to thank (former) councilmember Shaffer for her service and selfless dedication to the community,” Eder said, also praising Wilson for leading Sebastopol during “a really rough time,” with “civility in the face of a lot of anger.”
Jacob said he was honored to have been elected and thanked Wilson for his inspiration and support, praising city staff for their hard work, as well as “over 250 volunteers and contributors” who helped him get elected.
“More than anything, I look forward to taking on the task of participating in Sebastopol’s future as a truly liberal Democrat, environmentalist and social justice advocate while always keeping the importance of economic vitality close to heart,” he said.
Jacob also reported that he had surveyed the community and found that 81 percent of respondents wanted bicycle and pedestrian improvements; 83 percent favored expanding and enhancing parks and open space, while 81 percent did not support CVS/Chase and 28 percent thought Sebastopol was moving in the wrong direction politically and socially.
“Over the next four years, I can assure you that I will refer to these issues more as a mandate in my decision making and commitment to bring all of Sebastopol’s interests together for the benefit of our community,” he said.
Members of the public were overwhelmingly supportive.
“I’m a Sebastopol supporter even on bad traffic days,” Jane Nielson said, adding that although she does not live within the Sebastopol city limits and was unable to vote, she participated in the election.
“I didn’t think the politics were all that divisive,” Nielson said. “There is a broad community of consensus … there was too much emphasis on splits, but we’re pretty unified.”
But Thomas Morabito laid the blame for what some people believed to be political divisiveness at the feet of the developers.
“I intend to place the blame for any discord on CVS, Chase and Armstrong (Development),” he said. “I’m not going to blame people who thought this might be good for Sebastopol.”
Morabito added that if 81 percent of the population would mobilize on the corner of the former Pellini property, they could stop the development and asked the new Council for guidance.
“Lead us. Tell us how to stop it,” he said. “We welcome your expertise and welcome the ‘dream team.’”