Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Mayor for 2012

Happy New Year! I am proud to announce that on December 6, the council voted to have me serve as Mayor of Emeryville. I am honored and humbled, and look forward to working directly with residents and businesses to improve services and make Emeryville a better place to live and work. Please email me or call me with any concerns or ideas that you would like to share.

As part of my new role, I will be delivering the State of the City Address along with City Manager, Pat O'Keeffe, on Thursday, January 26. The Chamber of Commerce traditionally hosts this speech at a Chamber luncheon. Additionally, I have asked that the State of the City also be given directly to the public at a City Council meeting. I will advise you of when that will take place as it has not yet been scheduled.

I am looking forward to further opportunities for outreach and contact with you. Check this blog to learn more about when and where these opportunities will be arranged.

I invite you to come on down to City Hall for one of our city council meetings: the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 7:15 p.m., 1333 Park Ave. I will be there presiding. Agendas can be read on the city website from the Friday afternoon preceding each meeting.

I am also very pleased that Jac Asher has been sworn in as our newest council member. She will be a strong advocate for families and livability in Emeryville. In other election news, both Measure C and Measure D, which increased the rate and the cap on the business license tax passed. Measure F, which would have outsourced the city attorney position, did not pass.

Finally, I want to recognize Ken Bukowski for his 24 years of service to the City of Emeryville. I trust that he will remain active and engaged in city issues.