- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
Lakeport City Council welcomes new members, bids farewell to Barnes and Spurr
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council bid farewell to two members who have served over the past four years and welcomed three newly elected councilmen who voters selected in the November election.
In a virtual meeting on Tuesday night, the council unanimously approved a resolution accepting the election results from Nov. 3 in which Michael Froio and Michael Green, who served on the Lakeport Planning Commission, were elected to the seats held by Tim Barnes and George Spurr, and incumbent Kenny Parlet was elected to a third term.
After approving the election results, Parlet, along with council members Stacey Mattina and Mireya Turner, thanked Barnes and Spurr for their service over the past four years.
Parlet, who has served as mayor pro tem this past year, noted that the terms of the two men coincided with four years punctuated by one disaster after another – from wildland fires to floods, public safety power shutoffs to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“You’ve been through it all,” said Parlet.
Parlet said both Barnes and Spurr came through the experience “with flying colors” when it came to looking out for the best interests of the city in every situation, trying to do the right thing and being prepared.
He offered his deep gratitude to Spurr on behalf of the city and its residents.
“Thank you very much. I appreciate that a lot,” said Spurr, who has served as mayor this past year. While there were a lot of disasters, Spurr said they also completed a lot of big projects, too.
Parlet said he had encouraged Barnes to run for the council and that he enjoyed Barnes’ perspective. Barnes served a term as mayor in 2019.
“It’s been an insane four years,” Barnes acknowledged.
He said serving on the city council was nothing like he thought it would be, but that he enjoyed working with his fellow council members and staff and learning the mechanisms that run the city.
“We made it,” Mattina told Barnes and Spurr. “I’m really proud of everything we’ve gotten done in the last four years and I’m going to miss you both.”
Turner said she appreciated how Barnes kept local businesses at the forefront, adding that he was trustworthy and sincere, and she was honored to work with him on the council.
City Manager Kevin Ingram acknowledged the disasters but then pointed to the many positive accomplishments under the council’s leadership over the past four years. Those accomplishments include a new seawall in Library Park, work on the lakeside promenade, the purchase of the former Natural High School property for the new Lakefront Park, a new community center and solar upgrades on city facilities. He said the list goes on and on.
Police Chief Brad Rasmussen, Public Works Director Doug Grider, City Clerk/Administrative Services Director Kelly Buendia and City Attorney David Ruderman all offered their thanks to Barnes and Spurr for their services.
After the two departing council members left the virtual meeting, Buendia administered the oath of office separately to the newly elected council members, starting with Parlet and then moving to Green and then to Froio.
With the oaths taken and the three formally – if virtually – seated, the council then turned to the business of electing its leadership for the coming year.
Mattina nominated Parlet as mayor, a motion which the council unanimously approved.
Turner then nominated Mattina for mayor pro tem, which also was carried by a unanimous vote.
This will be Parlet’s second term as mayor. He previously held the post in 2014.
He joked that “it’s been a while” and said he wasn’t sure he could remember how to do the job.
This will be the fifth time Mattina has served as mayor pro tem. She’s previously held the mayor’s job twice.
The Tuesday meeting also included an update from Lake County Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace, who told the council that the COVID-19 vaccine is due to arrive in the county this week but that the effort to vaccinate local residents will be the work of many months to come.
Pace also warned that a few particularly difficult months are expected ahead as cases continue to climb, and he emphasized the need for people to continue to shelter in place and not travel during the holidays while also continuing to observe masking and other preventive measures.
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