LAMORINDA WEEKLY | The gavel passes to Mayor Susan Candell


The city council held its annual reorganization at its Dec. 14 meeting, electing Mayor Susan Candell, and Vice Mayor Teresa Gerringer. Photo captured from city council meeting

In an evening with considerably less drama and rather more civility and respect than has been seen on a national level, the Lafayette city council changed its guard at its Dec. 14 meeting.

With the resignations of Council Member Steven Bliss, and of longtime Council Member and many-time Mayor Mike Anderson, the members recognized the reelection of Council Member Cam Burks for his second term, and the newly elected Council Members Carl Anduri and Gina Dawson.

City Clerk Joanne Robbins swore in the three council members earlier in the day individually in person, due to the constraints of the pandemic, which also limited the traditional cake and celebration of the event that would have taken place any other year.

Completing the lineup, the gavel passed with unanimous approval to now-Mayor Susan Candell, and the responsibilities of vice mayor to Teresa Gerringer.

Although Anduri is new to some, he is familiar to many who may remember him serving on council from 2002 to 2012, with stints as mayor in 2005 and 2010, and for his time prior to that on the planning commission where he served from 1997 to 2002.

For Dawson this is her first time on council, although she too is familiar to many in the community for her work on the Gas Safety Task Force and for her part in the formation of the grassroots nonprofit Save Lafayette Trees.