- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
Lakeport City Council names new community center for retiring city manager
LAKEPORT, Calif. – As Lakeport City Manager Margaret Silveira enters her final weeks on the job, the city council on Tuesday took action to give her a lasting honor.
In a unanimous vote, the council honored Silveira by naming the community center building – which she had worked more than a year to acquire for the city – in her honor.
Silveira, who has been Lakeport’s city manager for 10 years, will retire as of July 31. On Tuesday night, ahead of the community center naming discussion, the council approved the final contract with Silveira’s successor, Assistant City Manager Kevin Ingram.
At the council’s June 16 meeting, Councilmember Stacey Mattina had asked that a proposal for renaming the new community center be brought back for consideration and her colleagues agreed.
The community center, located at 500 N. Main St., formerly served as the Bank of America building.
In late 2017, the company announced it was planning to close the branch. Following the announcement, Administrative Services Director Kelly Buendia said Silveira went to work to try to secure the donation of the building from Bank of America.
Silveira’s diligence paid off, with the company agreeing. The council passed a resolution at its meeting on Jan. 15, 2019, to accept the property and held a ribbon-cutting ceremony and celebration on June 7, 2019.
Buendia offered a menu of potential naming ideas provided by staff: Silveira Center, Silveira Event Center, or SEC; City of Lakeport Silveira Center; Silveira Community Center of Lakeport; Silveira Training And Recreation Center, or STAR Center; Margaret Silveira Community Center; and Margaret Silveira Center.
“If it weren’t for Margaret, we would not have a community center,” said Mattina.
Silveira spent countless hours trying to find the right person in Bank of America to get the building donation approved, Mattina said. “She kept going until they said yes.”
Mattina added, “We’re just so lucky that she had the idea to begin with” and was willing to take the time to go after it.
Mattina said Silveira’s exceptional work for the city over the past decade has been “transforming.” She listed numerous accomplishments, from spearheading regional economic development to building partnerships, leading the city to have a lakefront plan and hotel feasibility study, the grant funding the new lakeside park and art in the city, along with ensuring a balanced budget and a surplus.
Silveira also has overseen the updating of the city’s sewer and water infrastructure, a new sales tax for police services and road repairs, goal setting and succession planning, Mattina said.
Councilwoman Mireya Turner agreed, noting Silveira’s ability to bring together jurisdictions and teams. Turner, who works for the city of Ukiah, said the city manager there was telling her the other day about work Silveira did to bring Ukiah and Lakeport closer together.
Silveira’s efforts, Turner added, will benefit the city of Lakeport for years to come.
The council briefly debated different naming options, with Councilman Tim Barnes noting he liked the STAR Center.
However, Councilman Kenny Parlet said he was opposed to names with acronyms because he was concerned that, over time, Silveira’s name would get lost and people would forget her efforts. He said he liked the Silveira Center because it was short and snappy.
“I think you make a compelling point,” said Turner.
Mattina said she thinks people will shorten it to Silveira Center anyway, and Barnes suggested they go with that name. However, Mattina wanted the word “community” included in the title.
The council agreed to support Mattina’s proposal of naming the building the City of Lakeport Silveira Community Center, which Turner seconded and was approved 4-0.
“There couldn’t be a better person to have their name on that building in perpetuity,” said Parlet.
In brief comments at the end of the meeting, an emotional Silveira thanked the council for the honor.
“I’m so humbled and overwhelmed by what you’ve done, your gesture,” she said.
Silveira said she loves the community and the people she’s worked with during her time with the city.
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