Clearlake City Council holds swearing-in ceremony for newly elected members; Bennett selected as mayor
- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – On Thursday night council the Clearlake City Council bid farewell to one of its members, two council members took their oaths and the mayor and vice mayor were chosen for 2019.
At the start of the meeting, the council honored outgoing Mayor Bruno Sabatier.
Sabatier, now at the end of his first term, leaves the council to take a seat on the Board of Supervisors as the District 2 representative. He will succeed longtime Supervisor Jeff Smith.
Sabatier’s vice mayor, Phil Harris, and City Manager Greg Folsom lauded Sabatier for his work on the council and presented him with a plaque.
He thanked the community for giving him the opportunity to serve on the council.
“This has been the best experience I’ve ever had in my life,” said Sabatier.
He thanked each of the council members individually for their help, from Joyce Overton’s mentoring and assistance in creating the Power to the Youth event, Nick Bennett’s kindness and welcoming spirit, Harris’ leadership and friendship, and Cremer’s willingness to work together and share a different perspective in a friendly way.
“I think that you’re a perfect replacement,” he told Dirk Slooten, who along with Cremer was elected to the council last month.
Sabatier returned to the dais briefly for some final business, including the swearing-in of new police personnel.
Then City Clerk Melissa Swanson presented a resolution accepting the official canvass results that certify the election results, which the council approved.
Swanson then administered the oath of office to Cremer and Slooten.
Cremer was appointed earlier this year to fill a vacancy on the council that resulted from the resignation of Russell Perdock. He ran successfully to keep his seat.
Slooten, a native of the Netherlands, retired businessman and a longtime city planning commissioner, is, like Cremer, active in the Clearlake Rotary Club. He was the top vote getter in the November election.
As Rotarians, both Cremer and Slooten have been active in raising funds for fire recovery.
After the two men took their oaths, Sabatier stepped down from the dais and Cremer and Slooten took their seats.
During the course of two-hour meeting, the council held two public hearings on commercial cannabis operations, picked a city photo contest winner, discussed an automated license plate recognition program and a contract for a transportation improvement program study.
The council also held the first reading of an ordinance to amend the Clearlake Municipal Code regarding sidewalk vendors and door-to-door sales and city code regulating itinerant businesses, and approved an amendment to the contract with Foster Morrison to add the Lake County Fire Protection District to the Clearlake Local Hazard Mitigation Plan and the fourth amendment to the employment services agreement for City Manager Greg Folsom.
At the end of the meeting, when it came time to choose the coming year’s leadership, Slooten moved to appoint Bennett as mayor and Cremer as vice mayor.
Harris, who chaired the meeting following Sabatier’s departure, seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously.
The terms of the mayor and vice mayor are for a 12-month period commencing on Jan. 1, unless otherwise decided by a majority of the council.
As the meeting drew to a close, Folsom thanked the council and staff for a great year.
“I think we got a lot accomplished this year,” said Folsom. “We’re really proud of everything that we’ve done. I think that we’ve really made a difference in the way that clearlake’s going and the way that Clearlake's being perceived throughout the county.”
He also thanked Sabatier again for what he had done for the city.
Bennett said Sabatier had set a high mark. “I will try to reach it.”
He also offered praise for city staff and fellow council members and how they work together in their efforts to improve the community.
“We are really blessed with what we have here,” Bennett said.
Folsom said later, “During my career in Clearlake I’ve had the good fortune and great privilege of working with excellent council members who take their responsibilities seriously and who have a unified vision of improving this city. Bruno Sabatier, Russ Perdock and Denise Loustalot have all been great to work with as mayors and I’m looking forward to working with our next mayor, Nick Bennett, next vice mayor, Russ Cremer, and the rest of the council in continuing the momentum that we have built in improving the city of Clearlake.”
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