The Davis City Council met on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, starting at 6:30 p.m. in the Community Chambers. The meeting included ceremonial presentations honoring outgoing Mayor Josh Chapman, the adoption of a consent calendar, a presentation on arts and culture grant outcomes, introduction of a down payment assistance ordinance, and approval of 2025-26 liaison assignments. All votes were unanimous (5-0) unless noted.
Councilmember Neville. Any discussion? All in favor say aye. Aye. Nay. Abstained. We have an agenda passes five to zero. We're gonna start by having a ceremonial presentation for our outgoing mayor Josh Chapman. Unless Staff wants to start, I'll go ahead and read the proclamation that we put together for Josh. Great. Where is Josh Chapman was elected to a four-year term on the Davis City Council in November 2020 to represent District 5 and was re-elected in 2024 for a second term? And whereas Councilmember Chapman was selected to be the 43rd Mayor of Davis by his council colleagues on December 12th, 2023, and was sworn in by his sons Owen and Quinton on January 9th, 2024. Whereas Mayor Chapman was born and raised in Maine and earned his Bachelor of Science degree from New Hampshire College in 2002 before moving to San Francisco in 2005 to pursue his Master of Education degree with a focus on equity and social justice from San Francisco State University. And where is Mayor Chapman brought his knowledge and passion for civil rights, equal opportunity, and economic justice to a wide range of topics in 2024, including inclusionary housing, climate change, and development projects. And whereas Mayor Chapman played an important role in the discussion and framing of the 2024-2025 city council goals through a consensus building process that will help guide the organization and enrich a thriving community through transparency and targeted action. And where is during Mayor Chapman's tenure, the city council authorized funding to further projects to meet a variety of community interests, including enhancements to community park, sports court rehabilitation, and grant funding to contribute to the construction of the South Davis Library. And whereas Mayor Chapman was a supporter of local businesses and their role and importance in the economic development and vitality of the community, often as an intermediary between agencies, businesses, and staff, providing astute insights in multiple perspectives. And whereas Mayor Chapman reflected the values of the Davis community, stepping up in times of need to advocate for everyone deserving to feel safe and welcome no matter where we come from or how long we've lived in Davis. Now, therefore, the Davis City Council on behalf of the citizens of Davis honors Mayor Josh Chapman for his many contributions to the Davis community during his 2024 mayorship. Josh, we're gonna give us a proclamation. Yeah, Councilmember Porteo. I'd like to start because I think I've served the longest uh with Josh, and so I've I think I've seen him in all sorts of different uh situations, and I have to say that I am it's been an honor to serve with you, Josh. Um clearly your uh concern and well-being for the community comes out in everything you do and every decision that you've made. Um I think that uh it's it's really one of the things that I admire the most about you is that you are very clear when you know something is the right thing to do, regardless of how difficult that decision is and how difficult it is to face the community in that decision, and oftentimes we have to do that work under a lot of pushback from the community. Um but I know that you make those decisions in you know taking all of the information and understanding that it is the right choice, and you are have a a very um nothing gets in your path. And so uh I've always admired that about you, and I appreciate it. And um, and so thank you for your service, and it's as I hope that we continue to do good work here. I know we will. Thank you, Councilmember Parcita, Vice Mayor Neville. Thank you. Um, Gloria, I feel as though you you wrote my comments. There, those those are perfect, and I I and probably not surprisingly, I have kind of the same um things about you that I really admire, Josh. So, first of all, I just want to thank you for making a really hard job look easy. It's always looks um a lot easier to people watching the meetings than it really is. And I know how much work you put into behind the scenes, getting the agendas set up, making sure the meetings run smoothly. You're always really fair to all of us, make sure we all have our voices heard. The community members all have their voices heard. You're really respectful of differences of opinions, and somehow you you get us to that end game, and I'm so appreciative of that. Um but also I I feel the same way that Gloria just described. It's always so incredibly clear to me as you're making a decision that you're guided by doing the right thing and how it impacts people. You're always bringing that to the forefront. Like, how does this really affect that guy and that person and those people in this in this group, and you bring it, you make it human. And um, I'm so appreciative of the way you bring that perspective to your work. So thank you. And I'm so looking forward to the next several years with you here. Thank you. Council Murdeos. Well, I had served with you the least amount of time, not even sure a month yet, but I've had the opportunity of seeing you from the community perspective and watch the work that you've done and what you've done for our community. And I say thank you in that how you've run the meetings, how you've have been out in public, and I, of course, second, third, and fourth, everything that everyone else has said here. But I'm looking forward to working with you going forward as fellow council members, and again, thank you for the service that you gave the community and look forward to the service together going forward.