Redwood City welcomed a new mayor and vice mayor Monday as the two councilmembers who held the positions, Giselle Hale and Diana Reddy, exited the roles and the council, making way for new faces on the governing board.
Jeff Gee, who represents the Redwood Shores neighborhood in District 1, will serve as the city’s new mayor over the next two years replacing Hale as she is exiting the council after launching a bid for state Assembly but opting out of the process due to concerns the contentious campaign was weighing hard on her and her family.
“It’s truly an honor and I’m very humbled to be back here at the dais and as the mayor again, and look forward to working together with all of you to continue the work that council has done on so many different issues,” Gee said, who was first elected in 2009 and served as mayor in 2014 and 2015.
Meanwhile, Lissette Espinoza-Garnica, District 3’s representative, will be taking on Reddy’s former role as vice mayor. Reddy was redistricted out of her seat when the city redrew its district map, making her ineligible to run until 2024 in District 7, a seat currently held by Councilmember Alicia Aguirre.
“It’s really a symbol of not just the kind of milestones I’ve had but the new wave of electeds,” Espinoza-Garnica said. “The community sees us. I feel embraced by my district. And the community here in Redwood City is not just my hometown but it’s my family. I think it’s a wonderful moment in history as the first nonbinary person to become vice mayor in the Bay Area and that’s something I don’t take lightly. I’m just looking forward to the future.”
Two new councilmembers were also sworn into office Monday. Replacing Hale in District 2, which largely covers the city’s downtown, is Chris Sturken, a former member of the Planning Commission and Transportation Advisory Committee. Kaia Aiken, a development specialist for the San Mateo County Historical Association, will be representing District 5, made up of the Redwood Oaks and Palm neighborhoods.
The very first thing Jeff Gee should do is respond in kind via email to those that have written him vs having staff members do it for him. Come on Jeff, respond to people you serve in The Shores and also as our Samtrans representative.
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The very first thing Jeff Gee should do is respond in kind via email to those that have written him vs having staff members do it for him. Come on Jeff, respond to people you serve in The Shores and also as our Samtrans representative.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.