On December 12, 2022, the Redwood City Council held a regular meeting that served as the final meeting for outgoing Mayor Giselle Hale and Vice Mayor Diana Reddy, who completed their four-year terms. The council unanimously approved the consent calendar, recognized outgoing members with tributes and gifts, swore in newly elected Councilmembers Kaya Eakin and Chris Sturkin (via a ceremonial oath by his father) and re-elected Councilmember Diane Howard, and selected a new mayor and vice mayor following a staff-recommended rotation policy.
Alright, we're gonna get started. If you could please come on in, find us there's still some seats at the front of the room. There's still some seats at the front of the room, the side of the room. And then we'll be closing the doors so that we can continue. I know there's still food and cake out there, so if you get hungry, you can step outside. Okay, we've got a few seats right up here on the my right, and then to the left. Everybody can get a seat. Welcome, welcome everyone. Uh my name is Giselle Hale, and at least for the next 30 to 40 minutes, I'm the very proud mayor of Redwood City. And I want to thank you all for joining us this evening for our regular meeting of the city council. And as a reminder, we are holding this evening, though we have a very, very full room here in Redwood City, we are holding it hybrid. So we're also joined by a number of folks uh online, presently 25. And items will, as with most regular meetings, be taken in the order in which they are listed on the agenda. And if we could please close the door at the back of the room so that we don't have any sound interference. Um folks can come in once they're ready. Uh but let's close the doors. Thank you. So tonight is a special evening for the city and the city council as we'll be transitioning peacefully to a new city council and welcoming newly elected uh city council members. Uh and vice mayor ready and I complete our terms. And the transition will occur after consideration of the consent calendar, and the new city council will then select a new mayor and a vice mayor, and they will do that tonight. This will be my last meeting, presiding as mayor, and I will also have some remarks to make later in the evening, but it has been my pleasure to serve all of you and our community and honor to serve as mayor for the last year. So thank you for that. And I'll now ask our city clerk to please call the role. Good evening. Councilmember Aguirre here. Councilmember Espinosa Garnica. Here. Councilmember G. Here. Councilmember Howard. Here. Councilmember Martinez. Vice Mayor Reddy. Here. And Mayor Hale. Here. Thank you. Thank you. Now please join me as we salute the flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands. One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty, and justice for all. We will now take public comments on the consent calendar and matters of council interest as well as items that are not on the agenda. If you have public comment related to the city council reorganization and the selection of the new mayor and vice mayor, you will be invited to speak later in the evening. And if you're attending in person, you can please fill out a card, a speaker's card, which is at the back of the room, that back table, and then submit it to the city clerk right here at the Dais. And don't mind if you have to walk up in front of everyone. And if you're attending virtually, you could feel free to please now raise your hand on Zoom. Or you could press star nine if you're joining us by phone. And I will now once again turn over the meeting to our city clerk to please facilitate public comment. Thank you, Mayor Hale.