On the night of this Monday, December 12, the councilor Jeff Gee became mayor of Redwood City for a two-year term, which will be joined by Lissette Espinoza-Garnica as vice mayor, after the motion for their positions was unanimously approved by the City Council.
Gee, who is serving in the role for the second time after serving from 2013 to 2015, was extremely excited to return to serving the residents of Redwood City.
The charges were approved after new councilors were sworn in and took their places on the City Council, such is the case of Kaia Eaki, Chris Sturken and the re-elected Diane Howard.
In 2019, the City Council adopted a policy for the selection of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, in accordance with policy, selected biennially, and with a rotation based on seniority, on the City Council.
Once a City Council member serves as mayor, they move to the end of the rotation. Based on the council rotation, Jeff Gee is next in line to serve as mayor and Councilwoman Lisette Espinoza-Garnica is next in line to serve as vice mayor.
The first to be sworn in was Espinoza-Garnica, who represents District 3, and then Gee was sworn in virtually by his daughter, who is in Turkey.
After taking the oath of office and taking her place, Espinoza-Garnica said she felt very honored by the opportunity to be deputy mayor.
“I ran a corporate-free campaign. The new wave of electeds look different, they’re younger. We now have three elected councilmembers who are under 30… We, as in diverse young people, marginalized people are coming out and we’re winning, and even with so much hate. Redwood City is not just my hometown, it’s my family, so I think it’s a wonderful moment in history as the first nonbinary person to become vice mayor in the Bay Area.”
That, he said, is not something he takes lightly, saying he is “looking forward to the future, not just for me, but for the new leaders, how we are going to shape policy. That is coming and that is bold and people-centered.”
For his part, Mayor Gee said he feels honored to be back on the dais and again as mayor and that he looks forward to working with all of his colleagues to continue the work that the Council has done on so many different issues.
“Elected office is not easy. It takes a lot of hard work, it takes a lot of perseverance… So I reflected on the role of local government, to me, one of the most important things we can do to make sure that our residents and businesses feel safe. And that when they call 911, the fire and police respond in a timely manner, to be responsive, to be equitable in the services that we provide to everyone who lives here in Redwood City.”
“Our city is rich and diverse, and we need to be connected to our communities. We need to be able to connect and listen to the needs and interests of everyone in Redwood City.”
Finally, Mayor Gee said the Council must continue to create housing opportunities to accommodate those in need and those with limited incomes, plan and invest in infrastructure and the public transportation network, and ensure the city is financially sustainable and viable.
Councilwoman Kaia Eaki said, “It is such an honor to be here and I am so happy to sing, in fact. I am very, very aware that I am standing on the shoulders of many devoted leaders of Redwood City who came before me. I can only hope to prove myself worthy of their great legacy.”
“I am optimistic that Redwood City’s future will be strong because of its greatest asset, which is us. We are wise and we are resilient. As always, Redwood City faces pressing challenges at this juncture, we have no time to waste, and on this Council I will work with my colleagues to ensure that together we respond to the needs of the community,” added the representative of District 5.
Howard, who has been re-elected for the seventh time, said that although she has been chosen to represent District 6, "I will continue to see Redwood City as a whole and represent the interests of all who reside in our great city. And I will urge my colleagues to do the same. Redwood City will truly be indivisible. As we move forward, I urge you to stay informed and engaged. The city thrives when the voices of all its residents are heard."
Chris Sturken, who represents District 2, said he ran for office “because I believe that everyone deserves to live with dignity and that means having a livable and affordable city to call home.” “I am here to represent my community. My communities, especially young renters and my chosen family, the LGBTQ+ community that I am proud to represent on the Council alongside my colleagues.
He also said he looks forward to working with his colleagues on the Council to address the most pressing challenges of our time, including the housing crisis, racism, the rise in hate speech and hate crimes, and climate change.
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