 | | | Moraga Mayor Renata Sos Photo provided | | | | | | Every new year in Moraga brings a reorganization to the town council. This year is no exception. At the helm of the town council is new mayor Renata Sos, with the vice mayoral duties belonging to Sona Makker.
Sos first began her work on the council in 2018, when she was appointed to replace a resigning Jeanette Fritzky. When her term was up, Sos ran for office and was elected to a four-year term in 2020. Prior service to the town was a 2005-07 tenure with the Planning Commission.
A graduate of Princeton University with a degree in mechanical/aerospace engineering, Sos went on to obtain her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Chicago Law School, after which she spent 12 years in private practice as a litigator of complex commercial cases.
When asked how the various council member differences can be set aside in order to have productive and constructive council meetings, Sos replied that the new year "will bring both challenges and opportunities to the town council. We have been elected by the voters to set aside our differences and make decisions that are in the best interests of the town as a whole. I believe that we are up to the task, and that we will address the issues before us in a collegial and respectful manner."
Three top priorities during Sos' 2020 campaign included exercising fiscal discipline; the preservation of Moraga's open spaces; and an investment in public safety, infrastructure and community service. She points out that last year's council collectively did much to focus on those priorities, "and made decisions in a deliberative and transparent way. I am confident that this approach will carry forward through 2022."
Sos has volunteered her time in various other ways to the town, either through coaching various youth sports over the years or serving on the board of the Moraga Community Foundation. "My family has shared with me that they are proud of my decades of service to this community and proud that I continue to be willing to give of myself to the residents of our town."
Looking ahead to the coming year, Sos said, "My hope for 2022 is that our residents will continue the tradition of public service, civic engagement, and respectful discourse about the substantive matters that come before the town council." Sos added, "In addition, I'd love to find ways to reach a broader cross-section of our community, particularly parents of young children, and help them get connected with the council."
Makker had very recently endured a torturous appointment process in October in order to fill the seat vacated by resigning council member David Stromberg. In the space of a month, she finds herself as Moraga's new vice mayor. "When I was nominated, I emphasized that I would be ready to roll up my sleeves and take on the role," she stated. "I continue to stand by that and feel really energized about volunteering my time on the council."
Born and raised in Tracy, California, Makker served in local government as Chair of the Youth Advisory Commission and later in her hometown's Parks and Recreation Department. Earning a BA in sociology from the University of California at Berkeley, Makker went on to receive her Juris Doctorate from Santa Clara University School of Law. "My family is proud to see me get involved and put my training in public policy into practice. My husband and I love soaking in everything this town has to offer, and we are committed to giving back however we can."
Makker is looking forward to whatever 2022 goals the council sets. "I am also looking forward to continuing to build bridges and ties in the community, especially amongst individuals and groups of diverse backgrounds that the council has not always heard from."
Reflecting on the challenges the world currently faces, Makker said, "Life and work are changing and evolving as we live in these unprecedented times. Engagement with residents, retail business owners, and volunteers is even more crucial right now to understand and have a firm grasp on the pulse of the community. This is all of our jobs as council members." |
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA