Good afternoon.

I'm Cindy Darling, Mayor of the City of Walnut Creek, and welcome to the Tuesday, December 2nd, 2025 special meeting of the Walnut Creek City Council.

The special meeting is being called for the purpose of holding a closed session related to the following: a conference with legal counsel on anticipated litigation.

Does any member of the public wish to comment on a closed session item?

As a reminder, each speaker will only have two minutes to make their comments.

Seeing no speakers, the city council will reconvene in closed session.

Thank you.

Good evening.

I'm Cindy Darling, mayor of the city of Walnut Creek.

And welcome to the regular meeting of the Walnut Creek City Council.

The City Council is conducting this meeting from the City Council Chamber.

This meeting is being video streamed and can be viewed live or later on the city's website.

As some attendees may be participating in their first Walnut Creek City Council meeting, I wanted to welcome everyone and talk briefly about the public comment process.

For each agenda item, there will be an opportunity for public comment on that item.

Thus, if you desire to speak to an item on the agenda this evening, please hold your comments until the city council considers that item.

Additionally, we have a section on the agenda titled Public Communications, which is for public comments for items not on the agenda.

Any comments during public communication should not relate to an item that is on the agenda this evening.

Consistent with section 9.5 of the city council handbook.

30 minutes will be initially allocated for public communication for items not on the agenda.

Additional time for public communications for items not on the agenda will be provided at the end of the open session portion of the meeting if necessary.

If you desire to provide a public comment, please complete a speaker identification card and line up behind the lectern at the appropriate time.

Wait your turn, and then when you approach the lectern, please state your name, City of Residence for the record.

You will have two minutes to address the City Council.

Please keep in mind that this is a city business meeting.

The City Council has adopted rules of decorum to ensure that meetings are conducted efficiently and effectively, and that all members of the public have a full, fair, and equal opportunity to be heard.

The City Council Handbook outlines decorum expected in the council chamber and can be found on our website.

All remarks should be addressed to the City Council.

Please do not use threatening, profane, or abusive language, which disrupts, disturbs, or otherwise impedes the orderly conduct of the council meeting.

Again, each speaker will have two minutes to make your remarks.

Written comments submitted and received up to two hours before the meeting have been posted to the city website for public review and are included in the meeting record, but will not be separately read into the record.

Good evening.

I am Cindy Darling, Mayor of the City of Walnut Creek, and welcome to the Tuesday, December 2nd, 2025 meeting of the Walnut Creek City Council.

Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic or which it stands.

One nation under our individual with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you.

Clerk, could you please call the roll?

Councilmember Davini?

Here.

Councilmember Francois?

Here.

Councilmember Silva?

Here.

Mayor Pro Temwell.

And Mayor Darling.

Here.

And now tonight, we're going to pause at the beginning of our program tonight to recognize the passing of Gwen Regalia.

Her family is here, and we have some people to remember Gwen.

We have a proclamation, and I'm actually, I don't normally read the whole proclamation, but it is quite the story, and I wanted to cover it.

So Gwen Whiteford Regalia was born in Ross, California and spent her formative years in both Southern and Northern California, graduating from UC Berkeley and dedicating her early career to educating young minds as an elementary school teacher.

Gwen and her beloved husband, Ed Regalia, moved to Walnut Creek in October 1958, where they raised their four children and became pillars of the community.

Gwen devoted over 30 years to public service in Walnut Creek, beginning with her tenure with the Walnut Creek School District Board from 1978 to 87, including board president in 82 and 84.

She continued her legacy of leadership on the City Council from 1987 to 2008, five terms as mayor, 91, 96, 99, 2003, and 2008.

During her time in office, Gwen was instrumental in shaping the cultural and physical landscape of Walnut Creek, championing major capital projects such as the Lesser Center for the Arts, the Shade Lands Art Center, and the Iron Horse Trail Bridge over Ignacio Valley Boulevard or Road, whatever that is.

As a council member, she served on many committee assignments, including City County Relations Committee, TransPAC, Central Contracta Transit Authority, Pleasant Hill BART, Joint Policy Committee founding member, MTC, Bay Area Air Quality Board, she was across the Mayor's Conference and BCDC Commission.

Her regional leadership extended beyond Walnut Creek as she served on the executive board of ABAG from 1991 to 2008, including serving as president from 2002 and 2003.

Her leadership contributed to the construction of two gyms, five parks, seven ball fields, and she played a vital role in preserving 305 acres of open space, ensuring the natural beauty of Walnut Creek endures for future generations.

Gwen and Ed were deeply committed to the educational equity with Ed founding the Kennedy King Memorial Scholarship and Gwen serving as board president from 1972 to 74, helping underrepresented students achieve their college dreams.

Gwen fostered international goodwill through the Walnut Creek Sister Cities program, hosting visitors from Nochetto, Italy and Shea Folk Hungary, and leading a group to Shiafolk in 1994.

She demonstrated a lifelong commitment to civic engagement and the advancement of women and leadership through her active participation in numerous organizations, including over nearly half a decade as a member of the American Association of University Women, as well as her involvement in the League of Women Voters of Diablo Valley, the California Elected Women's Association, and the National Women's Political Caucus.

She served as a member of many other regional groups, including past president and director of the Diablo Valley Foundation for the Aging, Diablo Regional Arts Association, Lindsay Wildlife Museum, Walnut Creek Open Space Foundation, Walnut Creek Action for Beauty Council, and the Walnut Creek Historical Society.

In recognition of her exceptional contribution to government and public service, Gwen Regalia was honored with the 1998 Woman of Achievement Award by the Contra Costa Times and Broadway Plaza.

And I, Cindy Darling, mayor of the City of Walnut Creek, on behalf of the City Council and the residents of Walnut Creek to hereby recognize and honor Gwen Regalia for her unwavering dedication, visionary leadership, and profound impact on our community.

And we extend to her family our profound sympathy upon her passing, but we just reflect upon what a life she lived and how much she left for all of us in her honor.

We just wanted to recognize her tonight, and I wanted to, we have a couple elected local electeds that would also like to step up and recognize Gwen's leadership.

So I would call up Supervisor Candace Anderson.

Good evening.

Gwen was a treasure.

She was amazing.

She was someone I first really got to know when I joined Danville's Town Council in 2003.

And she was one of those leaders that would just come up to new council members, embrace them, impart this wisdom, and with such graciousness, and with sort of a behind the scenes, this is how you get things done.

She was an era of Walnut Creek City Council.

She was on it with Sue Rainey at the time, and it was really just kind of phenomenal watching these women go.

And as an elected official, a few years younger than them, I'm really grateful for the Trailblazers that they were.

So often I think younger women, I think of my daughters sort of take for granted that we as women could walk into any room we want to, and we could do anything we want to.

But it really was the women in the 70s that just stood up, demanded, got women elected, and made such a difference.

And so I am truly grateful for the life she led, even after she retired.

She had such a presence in our communities, and I think the last time I saw her sadly was at the funeral of Dick Rainey, and she was sitting behind me, and it wasn't just a tap, how are you doing, but it an embrace of wanting to know what I've been working on, me wanting to know what she had been working on, and she did not miss a beat.

So I am grateful for her life, grateful for her influence on so many ways, and as you acknowledge, Mayor Darling, the impact her leadership had on all of Walnut Creek and where you are today, is something that is unparalleled.

So thank you for giving me this opportunity.

And we will, at our Board of Supervisors meeting this Tuesday, be adjourning in Gwen's honor.

Supervisor Carlson is not with me this evening.

He is attending a conference, but he will be jointly offering that adjournment in Gwen's honor.

So thank you all.

Thank you very much for your recognition.

Congressman Mark Desalnier also asked that his staff come and present.

He had some words imparted into the congressional record, and I'll invite his staff up to introduce themselves and share that with us.

Thank you, everyone.

Congressman regrets that he's not able to be here with you tonight.

But Gwen was a real mentor and a leader in our community, and he wanted to be sure to be able to honor her memory.

So we prepared this congressional record in honor of Gwen, and I'll read that to you briefly.

Mr.

Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and service of Gwen Regalia.

A proud resident of Walnut Creek since 1958, Gwen was an incredible leader and public servant.

Beginning as a local fourth grade school teacher, Gwen started her career in politics with the Walnut Walnut Creek District School Board, serving nearly a decade.

During this time, she was also instrumental in helping elect Peg Covar, the city's first female mayor.

In 1987, Gwen was elected to Walnut Creek City Council.

She served on city council for 21 years, including five terms as mayor.

During her time in city government, Gwen has always been a champion for local arts and culture.

Some of her most notable accomplishments include overseeing the development of the Leicester Center for the Arts, the downtown Walnut Creek Library, the Shade Lands Art Center, the Iron Horse Trail Bridge over Ignacio Valley Road.

Gwen's leadership also extended past Walnut Creek as she was the president of the association of the Bay Area Government's Executive Board.

Unfortunately, Gwen passed away on November 17th at the age of 92.

She was a wonderful mentor to me and so many others in the Bay Area and so many others.

And the Bay Area is better because of Gwen.

She will be remembered for her outstanding leadership, dedicated service to her community, and the incredible impact she had on the city and beyond.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

And I I know my fellow council members would like to include their remembrances of Gwen.

We'll start with Councilmember Silva.

Thank you very much, Mayor.

And thank you to everyone who is here this evening, whether intentionally to help us honor Gwen or unintentionally, and just happened to be here.

It is wonderful to see all of you and to have you all be able to share in her accomplishments with us.

I was telling one of her sons earlier this evening that the most fortunate thing I've had in my almost 20 years on council was to be able to serve with Gwen for two years.

I learned so much.

People still talk about her in Sacramento.

They still talk about her in San Francisco.

And her legacy of achievements will live, is helping us make a better community for years to come.

She was a trailblazer.

She set the tone.

She could teach a room this size.

I can remember what her comments after certain items on the agenda would be.

It would be very um tutorial.

And we were very fortunate in that regard.

And so thank you again for all of you for being here tonight and to your her family.

Thank you for sharing her with us, because that is the biggest contribution that can be made to a community is to recognize how much time and energy she gave to us, and that was you were sharing her with us, and we were very fortunate.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Francois.

Thank you, Mayor, and to the family.

Gwen was a powerhouse.

And I never I didn't get the honor to serve with her, but when I was first appointed to the Transportation Commission, she was mayor, and she was extremely welcoming.

She gave me my Walnut Creek portfolio that I still proudly contain.

And I just remember how warm she was when she met my dad and said how grateful she was to have raised her family in this community.

And you know, as the years went on, and I served on other commissions and then ultimately ran for city council.

Gwen was there uh to endorse me at the kickoff, and that meant the world to me.

And you know, in terms of her legacy living on and the impact she has.

I have friends from Southern California who grew up in the area and said, Gwen Regalia endorsed you, that's a big deal.

And uh even today, I'll talk be talking to council members around the Bay Area that served with your mom on ABAG or other commissions and spoke highly of her legacy.

And I was fortunate that my wife and I got to spend time with Connie and Mark and Gwen at her home over a glass of wine or a lunch, and it was remarkable how she was had all her faculties about her.

I remember one lunch, she's recalling something back in her childhood, a Hitchcock movie that was filmed in Santa Rosa where she was living at the time, and she remembered the lead actress's name, who was not Teresa Wright, who was not a well-known actress, but she had total recall of that, and uh it was just fun to know her, and I think when she when she retired from the council, she remarked that she made a lovely community, and now she's going to enjoy it.

And she did, and we're all the beneficiaries of all the great work she did.

So thank you for sharing her with us.

Thank you.

Mayor Pro Tem.

Yeah.

Um as I mentioned a couple of weeks ago when we had first found out, Walnut Creek is Walnut Creek today that we know in large part because of Gwen Regalia.

That is her legacy along with her family, and uh and my deepest condolences.

Uh, much like uh my my colleague uh councilmember Francois, I met Gwen when I was first appointed to the Arts Commission, then Transportation Commission.

It was probably about I saw about 10 years or so, and got to know her on that kind of uh a level which wasn't very close, but but friendly.

But in 2015, when I decided to run for city council, I called a lot of the former mayors and council members, leaders in the community.

I was intimidated to call Gwen.

I I uh thought about it.

I I finally called her.

Uh she called me back.

It was a very short conversation.

She said something like, uh, well, good luck.

And and I would said I was uh I was exploring running for city council.

Good luck.

Okay.

Um I hung up and I thought I'm not calling her again, and uh and went on my way, and then when I announced my intention and really started running and campaigning in early 2016, I got a call from Gwen.

Uh I'd like to meet you for lunch.

Oh, okay.

Uh, yes, we'll we'll meet at Sunrise Bistro at noon on Tuesday, and I'll see you there.

Okay.

And so we sat down.

She wanted to find out what uh what my thoughts were, what I wanted to do for Walnut Creek.

Of course, she knew who I was.

Um I asked her.

I'm kind of surprised.

This was a different conversation than when I called you last year.

She goes, Well, everybody says they're going to run for city council.

A lot of people do, but now you're doing it.

So I wanted to make sure that we sat down.

And when the bill came and I offered to pay for half.

She goes, No, no, no.

I invited you.

I'm paying.

And let me know when we're going to have a party for you at my house because I'm going to support you, and we're going to make sure that you get elected.

And that was, I mean, I'd get goosebumps now.

Even thinking about that.

One was a huge supporter.

She was a friend.

I saw her many times over the last uh 10 years or so, uh, whether it was at different events or of course at uh the mayor's crab feed that Sue Rainey would have.

I'm gonna miss her.

I'm gonna miss her friendship, her mentorship, her leadership, and her stories.

Thank you.

I want to express my my condolences to the family again.

Um I think it's it's wonderful that we have this opportunity here to celebrate her life.

It's um she her story is truly inspirational.

I I learned a lot listening to that very impressive list of accomplishments and contributions.

So um I um I'm just happy to be a part of this and and um and uh and inspired by by her life and her story.

So uh my comments I've already gotten to do a lot of talking, which I am really done doing as mayor.

Um, but when I first decided to run for council, because I had helped Matt with his campaign, and I was like, well, shoot, if he could do it, I could do it.

Um and and so I I like Kevin.

I put off calling her for a while.

Yeah, I gotta call her, and so she says, yep, come on over to the house.

I'll make some some coffee and we'll have a little talk.

And I didn't know what she was.

She asked all these hard questions.

I was like, dang, this is like an exam.

Um, but she was just very gracious about it all.

She was just wanted to know who I was and why I was running, and when she endorsed me, she did it very wholeheartedly.

And um she just was a force of nature and just somebody who really wanted to give back to the community, and we all appreciate it.

Um, so thank you all for being here tonight to do this.

I think we will invite the family up.

The family's working on a memorial service, and we'll let them save all of their words for that.

But we'll ask the family to come up and we'll take the picture with the council and um a few others if they want to join us, and we'll say thank you very much for sharing your mom, and we'll give her a few.

Okay.

Um now we're at public communication.

This portion of the meeting is reserved for comment on items not on the agenda under the Brown Act.

The council cannot act on items raised during public communication, but may respond briefly to statements made or questions posed, request clarification, or refer the item to staff.

If there is anybody here that wants to share a quick memory of Gwen, we also invite you to come up as part of public comment.

And here's hi, good evening, and condolences to everybody in the family.

Um, I know you're going through tough times I just wanted to talk about the fact that Gwen and I served on the council together in the 80s until 1991 when I left the council she didn't go we worked together during the most tumultuous years in the history of the modern history of Walnut Creek.

It was the wars over whether Walnut Creek should become a new city because of all the um change that was going on or the people who objected to the change because they liked it the way it was so it was a very difficult time and we were on the end of a three to two vote most of the time.

So I was really grateful for Gwen being beside me as we worked to mold the city the city's initiative of five a live after five and comply with the state mandated jobs housing balance overcoming opposition one of our most significant successes was one of the things you talked about already was to garner support for the city to contribute to the Leisure Center for the arts.

A lot of money had been raised by the private sector but not enough so there was opposition to that that we should give money to the Leisher Center but Gwen and I were firm and we were able to get that money.

After I left the council as you know Gwen went on to become mayor for five times she was committed to fairness and justice in all her dealings through her leadership we can all be thankful for her work in making Walnut Creek the wonderful place it is today.

I was glad to serve with her and I'm glad to be here to share that with you.

Thank you.

Oops thank you all I know we have a lot of other former council members and mayors here and I'm sure we're all thinking good thoughts for everything that Gwen did um that closed public communication will bring it up here are there any closed session announcements there were no reportable actions from closed session this evening city manager reports.

I do not have an update this evening mayor okay and in light of the fact that this is a rearranging the deck chairs we're going to skip the city council member reports on AB 1234 and we'll save those all up for the next so now we get to my last thing I if there was anybody I'm sorry I thought everybody that wanted to speak for public comment had come up if there is anybody else that wanted to address us.

I I think we're I think we're good yeah um okay you're just standing up okay meanwhile back at the ranch now it is time for the ceremonial turning of the wheel and as my year as mayor ends I wanted to take a moment to celebrate the success something that my husband always says you have to do because we don't do it often enough and so I just wanted here are some big highlights for the city of Walnut Creek.

One of the things we shine as one of the safest cities in our area the monthly average property and violent crime rate for September 2025 decreased 9% since 2024 and I really attribute this to our excellent police department and our their commitment to crime prevention and we are bidding a fond farewell to Chief Knox who is hiding in the back there and I want to thank him for all that he's done and welcome our new chief Ryan Hibbs who's being promoted from amongst our own and I know he's ready to go to work to continue to be a safe city.

We also continue to be a welcoming city where we value and celebrate our diversity in a time where hatred is peaking out from under its rock, we are continuing to live in the light of inclusivity and caring.

You can see it in our first Diwali fair this year at Leusher.

Our recreation classes targeting neurodivergent residents, the crowd that came and helped us ride the raise the pride flag, including Supervisor Carlson this year, and the young high school students who helped us celebrate Asian American Month.

We had five different clubs come and help us celebrate this year.

And that was that was really special.

And we here in Walnut Creek, we're not letting hatred out from underneath its rock.

We're taking care of our neighbors who are struggling.

We celebrate the groundbreaking at Civic Crossing with our nonprofit partners, which is an affordable housing, which has homes for families, homes for our unhoused residents to get them off the street.

We're partnering with Trinity Center, folks are here from Trinity tonight on the winter shelter and everything else that they do.

And we've even found a way to keep the shelter open for an additional month through our partnership with Trinity.

We just take care of our own.

The city also prides itself on our commitment to making the world a healthier place.

We try to help our businesses and our residents improve their greenhouse gas footprint on the world.

We're a proud member of MCE, which is the Marine Clean Energy that provides us most of us our electricity.

They're celebrating their 15-year anniversary this year, and together us with the other partners at MCE have eliminated 500,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases, saved customers 80 million dollars on their bills, and reinvested 400 million in sustainability in our communities.

And that's a heck of an accomplishment for all the MCE members.

While some at the federal level might be turning their back and going to fossil fuels, we know the future is green, the future is more sustainable and more affordable.

And to provide such a high quality of life, we know we need a strong local economy.

Through our economic development strategy and in partnership with Walnut Creek downtown, visit Walnut Creek, Shade Lands, and the Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce, our economy is the envy of many other areas.

Our retail vacancy rate is about half of the East Bay as a whole.

And while we said goodbye to Walnut Creek Yacht Club, so Chef Kevin can go retire, meaning I'm very sad because that means no more oysters, we did get to say to hello to original Joes.

Our staff is hard at work reviewing and improving our customer experience for those who come to do business with the city, and we have new and more robust, attractive outdoor dining structures coming back to downtown, which is just one of the few things that was nice coming out of COVID.

And now for the accomplishment that I am most proud of.

Our voters approved Measure O a couple years ago, and we are working hard to invest those dollars into our community to address the priorities of our residents.

These include extra law enforcement officer, new lights at the Tice Field, new turf fields out at Heather Farm.

We just cut the ribbons on those, and it is amazing what we manage to do out there.

And next year, drumroll, we are very proud that we are going to begin construction of the new aquatic center and community center.

We have the final plans, we have the contractor, we have the permits, we have the partnership with the Aquatic Foundation, and we are ready to break ground.

I might have doubted whether or not staff was actually going to be able to get those permits, but I didn't tell them that before they got them.

And they they showed me, they showed me.

They went out and got, for those of you in the world, if you're going to get a 404 or 401 and endangered species permit, God bless you.

But all the years of planning are finally paying off.

And thanks to the diligence of our staff and the commitment to fish financial discipline of all the people who have sat on this council through the years.

Walnut Creek is going to issue the bonds here very shortly, and we have a triple A bond rating, which is the highest possible credit rating, and it's helping to bring this dream to reality.

That's a bond rating most cities could only dream of.

They can raise money easily, they just raise your rates.

But we did it because we believed in what we were doing.

And with all these achievements to celebrate, I also wanted to say some thank yous to the Walnut Creek staff who tend to hang out in the back there, just quietly competent, caring people who work day in and day out to serve the public.

And I appreciate all that they do.

To the voters of Walnut Creek who have repeatedly expressed their confidence in this council and in my leadership by electing me twice.

To my fellow council members.

At a time when it can be difficult to have faith in count in government, I'm truly blessed to be part of a council that is committed to public service, that takes their oath to the Constitution and to equality as seriously as they can, and works to listen to our community, listen to each other, listen to our staff, look, listen to all those who come down here to talk to us and find ways to make decisions that work for us all.

It's a it's kind of a rarity these days, but I think we are a shining example of how you make government work for people.

And lastly, I'm gonna make him cry.

Because I want to say a huge thank you to my husband Gary.

He never complains.

We're left at home, and I can't look at him because he's he's mushy.

He's Irish, he's mushy.

Um I leave him at home at night and he reheats some leftovers, and he watches chopped kitchen and other cooking shows, and he's very patient most of the days.

He was happy when original Joe's opened.

He found out there is a benefit to going out to dinner with the mayor because we got a nice table, and he's like, ooh.

Um, but he's been very proud to be first gentleman this year.

He's been very patient, very tolerant, very supportive of everything that I've tried to do here on council.

And so I want to say a huge thank you.

So with that, I am wrapping up my year here as mayor of Walnut Creek.

Thank God.

It's been fun.

But I have a new appreciation for just how much work this is.

So thank you all for helping me this year and teaching me how to be a mayor, and um I look forward to being a council member again.

Um thank you guys very much.

So before we all give you your bonvoyage, we all got something for you here from the city.

Let you unwrap it.

And I'm sure we have a few things to say too.

Okay, ooh, there's wine.

This explains Kevin's question.

Like, what kind of wine do you like?

And it is exactly appropriate.

Thank you so much.

And a little picture, and glasses.

Ooh, walnut creek glasses.

We could take them up to the cabin because we keep breaking all the glasses up there.

Thank you guys so much, and thank you for all your friendship and partnership this year.

And now if anybody else wants to say anything.

Well, as as your mayor pro tem, uh I want to say what a pleasure it was seeing you really grow as mayor from your first day all the way through to today.

Um I know that you've said in the past that public speaking is not been your forte, and that uh you had to really learn how to do that.

I think you've done great.

I mean, I have I have been at so many events and ribbon cuttings and different things where you've spoken.

Uh, people not only appreciate what you have to say, you you come across thoughtfully, and that you really are personalizing what you're saying to each of the different places, whether it's a ribbon cutting, you know, and there can be a dozen ribbon cuttings over a couple of months.

Your comments were always different based upon what those businesses were.

Um, as we've seen people love having the mayor come to the different events and speak.

Uh I'm so glad and proud of you that I got to witness this over the year, and you should take great pride in having a terrific year as mayor.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

So uh Mayor Darling, I wanted to uh you know, thank you very much for your your service as mayor this year.

I'm I'm truly grateful that you were mayor during my first year on the council.

Um you've always approached your role with uh fairness, inclusivity, uh kindness and thoughtfulness.

Um I appreciate your your practical, pragmatic approach, but also you uh always tend to keep a sense of humor as well.

Um your dedication to the city is inspiring.

We're fortunate to have you as a public servant, and I deeply appreciate all the time and energy you've given to the community.

Thank you for your leadership.

Yeah, I will echo those comments.

I've had the pleasure of serving with the mayor since we were on the planning commission together, and she struck me from the very beginning as someone who was thoughtful, inclusive, but also kind of easily approachable and with a lightness and a sense of humor that when you're in a room like this and w we are seemingly up here on a dais, that makes a difference.

It makes a difference for somebody coming off the street, maybe for their first city council meeting, nervous to get up at the microphone to make a public comment, and the way you set the tone uh just completely puts everyone you meet at ease, and that's a remarkable achievement.

And not everyone has that skill set.

I too am proud to have served with you on the planning commission and now on the city council.

Um I continue to admire uh you worked so hard this year on and did so many things.

Every you were in every picture, I think I saw it at every ribbon cutting, not just the big ones, but the little ones too, to make sure that every business owner that was opening a business in in Walnut Creek knew how much they were appreciated by this city, by this council because the mayor was there.

And that means a lot.

And I I appreciate your sacrifice and your sacrifice to make that happen.

And uh you had a great year.

It was fun to to be along for the ride.

Um you set the bar really high.

And I'll just say too, you mentioned Measure O, and we as many of you know, we've tried for years, uh decades, to get the funds passed to build a new pool and community center, and it's largely because of Cindy's um election to the council that we were able to make that happen, that we had the unity among all of us to stand behind that where the voters recognize that and express their confidence in us, and so thank you for that.

Thank you.

Thank you for serving nine years on the planning commission, ten.

Thank you for deciding to run for city council because you and I talked about it the first time in 2012.

Uh finally decided to.

Thank you for serving in such a thoughtful, taking on roles and responsibilities on the council, roles at the regional level, roles in um the community.

Thank you for giving us your time, and then serving as mayor this past year in a time when we had a lot of balls in the air and the objectives that we needed to accomplish.

You did it in a way that brought brought us all along together.

And thank you to Gary and your family for devoting, giving up some time and and giving us her talent.

So thank you to your family, thank you to you, and I look forward to having the other Cindy sitting without the title mayor in front of her name.

And I know there's a few others in the audience, so once again, I am here representing both Supervisor Carlson and again Lisa Chow, his chief of staff is here.

But I I've got to thank you, Mayor Darling, for your work.

And I'm now in my 25th year of being in an elected office.

I over those years have met so many different elected officials.

But what stands out to me of you as and makes you such an amazing leader is that it's your integrity.

It's your sense of humor about all things, it's your accomplishments, it's your respect for others.

And we don't always see that in elected officials.

And certainly on this council, we see it among all of you.

But I was just saying truly, Cindy, as I've watched you as mayor this year, and as your colleagues have noted, just the way you have been so approachable, the way you acknowledge people, you honor, you respect them.

And as elected leaders, that's what we should be doing.

And Walnut Creek has always been on a such a positive trajectory, but you have such a unified council right now, moving things forward in such a way that you've really been able to continue to have deep respect by not just the residents of Walnut Creek, but I think by all of us in Contra Costa County.

And I especially want to highlight what you made in your remarks as well, is that you care for everyone within your community.

Not every city is willing to step up and care for our unhoused population and contribute as needed to ensure that people have a warm bed, that they have food to eat, and that they are treated with dignity within the community.

So thank you for your leadership.

Such a pleasure for me to be able to represent a corner of Walnut Creek, but get to interact with all of you on so many different issues.

So thank you.

And I will just come over and hand this to you from here.

Good evening, Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem, esteemed council, city manager, and members of the constituency who are here.

It is my honor to be here on behalf of Senator Tim Grayson and my sponsor, Ms.

District Director.

And while the senator is unable to make it tonight, I do have a certificate of recognition for your outstanding term as mayor that I'd like to read in his stead.

Presented to the honorable Cindy Darling, I'd like to join with others in thanking you for your outstanding service as mayor in the city of Walnut Creek.

Your leadership during your term has helped to ensure the future of economic progress, quality of life in Walnut Creek.

Your passion for service has a positive impact on the lives of many.

You serve as a model of public service and have earned the admiration and respect of your peers in your community.

On behalf of the people of the Ninth Senate District, congratulations on your outstanding term.

And I'd also like to say from a personal standpoint as staff to a state legislator, that you have been an incredible mayor to work with.

Your attitude and approaching staff and interacting with our office has been phenomenal.

And not only have you done a really great job of advocating and keeping Walnut Creek center and front in the senator's mind, but you've also done that in a way that has really been kind to staff.

Not all elected officials do that, it's not necessarily requirement of being elected, but it means a lot to us when you do.

So thank you for being a person of that kind of character, and we look forward to working with you and your further services council.

That reflects my years as an abuse staff person myself.

That makes sense.

Amazing.

Thank you.

So yeah.

Yeah, I also know that nothing happens without the staff.

Why you're a great mayor.

Thank you.

And I want to thank you on behalf of Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer Cahan for all of the ways that you've interacted with the state on behalf of the city of Walnut Creek and the expertise that you bring to the table as a scientist, as an environmentalist, as someone who understands the details, having been on the staff side of how to actually get things done.

I think that perspective has been really incredible to have here on the council and in our city.

And then just you know, as a uh on the personal level as well as a resident of Walnut Creek, and um I want to thank you for your uh your mentorship and your encouragement of me on the planning commission and support of all of us that are serving on commissions in the city as well.

Um you make us all feel welcome and encouraged to learn and work together, and it's much appreciated.

Congratulations on all of your accomplishments as mayor.

Thank you so much.

Anyone else popping up?

No, I think we're good.

I think we're good.

All local elected, we're good.

So now we move to the selection of a mayor.

And it is my honor to, um, in this last year, Kevin Woke has been my mayor pro tem, and he has done everything I've asked of him, plus more.

Um we did have both of our kids got married this year, so there were some times when I had to leave.

And I'm like, here, Kevin.

And he does such a great job.

He actually has an IMDB profile, so he is not afraid of public speaking.

Which is, but I would love to nominate you as mayor.

I think you have the city um vibe in your heart, and you're ready to go to work at it.

And I'm looking forward to your leadership as mayor, and um, I am happy to nominate you as mayor.

I would be very proud to second that motion.

Thank you very much.

All right, roll call, Councilmember Darling.

Hi, Councilmember Francois.

Hi.

Council Member Diffany.

Hi.

Council Member Silva.

Hi, Mayor Pro Tem.

Well, I think take her away.

All right, thank you.

And uh thank everyone for uh want to thank everyone for being here tonight.

Um, next is the selection of mayor pro tem, which uh, well, I think as we all seen there's a lot that goes with that, certainly, and um I would like to nominate uh Matt Francois as mayor pro tem.

He was actually mayor pro tem when I was mayor previously, and uh I'm proudly nominating you for that position again.

And I'm honored to be able to second that motion.

Thank you.

And I think that's up to me now.

Oh, it's hard to give up the gavel, isn't it?

Susie, could you call the roll, please?

Mayor, well, I, Councilmember Silva.

Hi, Councilmember Darling.

Yes, Councilmember DeVinny.

Hi, Councilmember Francois.

Hi.

All right, congratulations, Mayor Pro Tem.

And the last item on the agenda are incoming comments by the new mayor.

And so I just wanted to thank you to my fellow council members for your faith in me in uh as your mayor for the next year.

Any of us who've had the honor of being mayor knows the responsibilities and the criticism that goes along with it.

Handling all of it wouldn't be possible without the love and support of my family and friends.

Some of them are here tonight, including my wife Jill, my daughter Darielle, my mother Nessa, and many other family and friends, both here and at home.

Unfortunately, my son Shane and new daughter-in-law Danielle couldn't be here tonight.

They're in Southern California, but they'll be back in a few more weeks for the holidays.

When I last became mayor in December of 2021, it was a very different time.

I was alone in this chamber standing right there.

City clerk was over here.

We were both in masks, and everyone was on Zoom, and we were trying to navigate our way out of the pandemic while keeping the city running and our businesses open.

As we know, we came out of the pandemic better than almost any city in the state.

Our downtown continues to thrive, and Walnut Creek is still one of the best places in the country for people who live, work, play, shop, or dine.

It doesn't mean we don't have challenges.

All cities do, but we're positioned well for our residents, our visitors, and our employees.

The former great Speaker of the House, Tip O'Neill famously said, all politics is local, meaning that one's success in the political field is tied to their ability to understand and address the specific everyday concerns of their constituents in their home district.

Never has that been more important than today.

A recent national poll found that Americans have the most faith in local government at 67% and the least faith in federal government at 32%.

While in Walnut Creek, we're blessed to have excellent representation at all levels of government.

At the local level, we are closest to our residents, we understand the concerns, and we work together to make sure the city works for the people, that our roads are maintained, the streets are clean, our businesses and neighborhoods are safe, and we're responsive to the needs and wishes of the community.

This last year has seen some terrific accomplishments as we heard now Councilmember Cindy Darling and former mayor talk about, including major steps forward in our infrastructure with lights at Tice Valley Park, all weather turf fields, which just opened yesterday in Heather Farm, and preparing for the new Heather Farm Swimming and Community Center, the largest project Walnut Creek will have ever undertaken, thanks to Measure O.

This next year I expect we'll see more great strides forward.

In addition to the recreational infrastructure, we'll see affordable housing built, and we'll continue to ensure that our downtown remains vibrant as the premier shopping and dining and entertainment destination in the county.

We want to make it as easy as possible to do business in Walnut Creek, and I'm dedicated to that efficiency.

Having a successful shopping district, unfortunately, with that success can also come some downsides, like being an attractant for crime and other issues.

And as a city, we are dedicated to a strong police force, both in deterrence and enforcement.

I want to thank police chief Jamie Knox for the job that you've done.

I was mayor then when he was hired, and I guess I will be mayor as you're going into retirement.

And with the new incoming police chief Ryan Hibbs, also in the back, who has been with Walnut Creek for 16 years.

He knows Walnut Creek, and I look forward to ensuring that the Walnut Creek Police Department has what it needs to prevent crime and catch the bad guys should it occur.

Along with City Manager Dan Buckshy and his top-notch team, we'll work towards a fully staffed department, one who is the best technology and ensure their presence is seen, especially on weeknights, on weekends and nights downtown.

In addition, with e-bikes on the rise and misuse of them increasing, our officers will also be engaged in educating and enforcing bicycle and e-bike safety.

Schools and parents will see a lot of outreach on this in the months ahead.

Walnut Creek continues to be a leader in climate action and sustainability, and having just passed a ban on gas-powered leaf blowers, we'll work to implement that with a full education outreach prior to our April rollout.

As we set the table for the next generation of Walnut Creek, the general plan update has already started to move forward.

Our residents and businesses will see notices in the coming year to get their input on how they would like to see their Walnut Creek evolve over the next 20 to 30 years.

Your voice matters, and I encourage all residents and businesses to engage in this discussion.

Lastly, I'm honored to have represented the city I grew up in and raised my family in.

As a council member for these past nine years and now again as mayor.

I know that my fellow council members all feel the same way in their representation of Walnut Creek.

While not everyone may agree with everything the city council does at all times, and that's just shocking, frankly.

As a welcoming community, we have open dialogue, civil discourse, and if we can avoid the pitfall of mudslinging through social media, I'm confident that Walnut Creek will continue to be the economic driver of the county and the premier place to live, work, play, shop, and dine anywhere.

And with that, comes the end of our meeting.

Meeting adjourned.