By admin on
4336
We have over 400 newly elected city and county officials this month, from Russ Melton, a Sunnyvale banker who collects historic CA license plates, to Dixon's new mayor Thom Bogue, who survived Jonestown.
 
In St Helena you have Geoff Ellsworth, whose private website notes " Geoff began painting in 1989 after a magnificent career as a professional dishwasher."

The following is a rundown of noteworthy outcomes, with a few oddities mixed in. 
 
A few preliminary awards:

Most Inspirational Origin Story
Sebastopol 's new councilman Michael Anthony Carnacchi writes on his website "In 2009, my expertise as a bootmaker was recognized by Ford's Theater in Washington DC when I was invited to personally examine the boots worn by Abraham Lincoln on the night that he was assassinated. Through my subsequent historical research and re-making of Lincoln's boots, I was inspired to get involved with politics."
 
He remade Lincoln's boots, now he's on the council.
 
Best Ballot Label
In Lakeport, you have Timothy "Cheese" Barnes, as he appeared on the ballot. Makes sense, he own's Cheese's Pizza.

Most Over Qualified?
Michelle Wu, of Los Altos Hills. Emigrated from China at 21, already having completed her Masters in Electrical Engineering. Moved to San Jose the day of the Loma Prieta earthquake, where she went to work for Hewlett Packard. Later worked for the NSA, and started and sold a software company. Los Altos Hills is in good hands.
 
Biggest Technicality
Pacifica City Councilwoman Mary Ann Nihart was forced to abandon her bid for re-election after "the U.S. Office of Special Counsel ruled that the San Mateo County Democratic Central Committee’s endorsement of one of her three election rivals, Deirdre Martin, had turned a nonpartisan City Council race into a partisan battle — making Nihart ineligible as a federal employee to participate under the law." Nihart, you see, is a clinical director with the federal Department of Veterans Affairs. There was no problem with that until the Democratic Party endorsed Martin. After that, Nihart was told she could either quit her job or drop out of the race. The Hatch Act strikes again!
 
Most Ambitious
Patrick O'Rourke, of Ferndale, quoted in the Times-Standard  "During his term on the council, he said he wants to keep Ferndale the “utopian” community it is. “I don’t really want to do anything,” O’Rourke said."
 
He ran unopposed.
 
Legacies and Musical Chairs
Several legislators who had previously served as city officials will return to the local dais in 2017. In Orange County alone, Jose Solorio will return to Santa Ana, Allan Mansoor retakes a council seat in Costa Mesa and Don Wagner takes up as Mayor of Irvine.
 
Luis Alejo is now a County Supervisor in Monterey, while his wife came up short against former Salinas Mayor Anna Caballero in her bid to replace him in the Assembly. Das Williams takes over Salud Carbajal's Santa Barbara Supervisor spot, while Salud moves into Williams' termed out Assembly seat.  Cameron Smythe takes back a seat on the Santa Clarita City Council, and though he won back June, Darryl Steinberg was sworn in this week to the Mayor's seat in Sacramento.

In other Sacto connections, Councilmember Gina Nestande in Palm Desert is the wife of former congressional candidate and former State Assemblyman Brian Nestande.

Also, notably a good cycle for Norma Torres; both her son Robert Torres (Pomona) and her legislative Aide, Rafael Trujilo (Rialto) grabbed council seats. Side note: Trujilo is a Yale Alum, only the second serving in local government that we're aware of, Ana Maria Quintana of Bell being the other. Can't forget though, John Russo, fmr Oakland City Attorney and now Riverside City Manager, also a Yalie.
 
Kristin Gallegos is joining the Loyalton city council, she's the daughter of former Lassen County Supervisor Lenny Gallegos
 
And of course Janice Hahn leaves congress for the LA County Board where her father served for years. The County building bears his name and Hahn joins former Antonovich aide Kathryn Barger as the 3rd and 4th women on the Board. 

Unlikely Comebacks?
Michael Zuccolillo was a Paradise town planning commissioner who was removed from his seat by a 5-0 council vote in 2015, owing to a permitting dispute on one of his properties. In a prepared statement to the council after his removal, he noted " Many of you are expecting me to show my Italian temper and lose my cool. I won’t. While some of you have resorted to cheap, dirty tricks, I am choosing to take the high road", by which he clearly meant knocking one of them off the council. 

Moreno Valley voters recalled Councilwoman Victoria Baca in 2014, but then put her back in office  this year. According to the Press Enterprise: "Baca faced a recall in District 5 as part of the continuing fallout from a political corruption investigation that involved FBI searches of the homes of four council members, including hers." (Newly Drawn) District 1 voters didn't seem to mind.

In 2006 the Murrieta council voted 3-1 to sanction Kelly Seyarto for his actions that June, when, after a council meeting, he told a resident to "go home and clean (her) house" and another resident to get his "ass out of the building." Seyarto's website for this cycle notes in 2006 he declined to run for re-election to "focus on his family." He's back now, presumably refocused.
 
In Los Alamitos, Dean Grose got a fresh start when he returned to the council in 2012, after having to resign in 2009 when he sent a watermelon themed email featuring President Obama. However, Grose clearly retained some animus towards the President, as in 2013, less than two months after his return to office, he wrote a facebook post -- from a gun show -- “Uniting America against Obama’s regieme (sic) one AK47 at a time!” Mr Grose lost his re-election bid last month.
 
Eras Coming to an End
 
Nat Bates of Richmond survived a tumultuous election in 2014, which saw millions in outside money poured in regarding a refinery battle. The city also weathered an expensive fight over a soda tax in 2012. A progressive slate buoyed by the "Bernie Vote" was too much this year, however. Bates, in his mid 80's now, has held office (though not continuously) since the late 60's. He was mayor twice in the late 70's and his loss this year ended 4 straight terms on the dais going back to the turn of (this) century. 
 
Elliot Rothman has been elected in Pomona since 1997, and mayor for the last eight years. Like Richmond, Pomona also saw an influx of younger, progressive candidates who have now swept into office. Rothman narrowly won re-election in 2008, and a recall effort that sputtered shortly thereafter. His popularity waned, regardless. In an April 2013 op-ed, The Daily Bulletin said, “(we) characterized Rothman as a "less than inspiring" mayor. In retrospect, we overrated him.” Ouch
 
Harvey Hall was Bakersfield's longest serving mayor, holding the post and winning handy re-elections since 2001. He notably spent his 20th wedding anniversary in the council chambers with his wife, Lavonne. He also wrote a coffee-table book using resident photos of the city. We encourage you to check our the Bakersfield Californian's "look back at Bakersfield's longest-serving, best-dressed mayor."
 
Louis Boitano is the longest serving member on the Amador County Board of Supervisors, since 1993. He had nearly 10 years on the Sutter Creek City Council before that. He lost his bid for another Supe term by just a percentage point.
 
Mark Luce also lost his re-election bid in Napa, where he had served on the Board since 1996. He was a Napa City Councilmember prior.
 
Jack "Woody" Colvard retired this year from the Shafter council where he'd served since the mid 90's, he also retired this Fall from the Kern High School District where he worked for 31 years. 
 
David Durant was elected to the Pleasant Hill council in 1999, and served several years as a planning commission prior. He announced in back in August we wouldn't seek re-election. 
 
Connie Underhill was termed out in Placentia after serving 20 years and Ray Musser served as councilman and mayor in Upland going back to 1998.
 
Thanks to all these long serving officials, and congrats to all the newly electeds... whatever their path to office was!
 
Section
Comings and Goings
admin
Published 9 years ago
Last updated 1 month ago
4336