 | | | Incoming Lafayette Mayor Don Tatzin. Lamo archive | | | | | | Lafayette's new mayor for the coming year will be Don Tatzin with Council Member Cam Burks moving to the role of vice mayor in a shuffle that this year sees no change of faces.
Tatzin is no stranger to the mayoral gavel - this will be his seventh term as mayor. Burks, who was absent from the Dec. 11 meeting when the council voted unanimously for him and Tatzin, is the relative rookie of the group as he goes into his second year.
Tatzin opened his remarks by saying that with the tactics of alienation and tribalism that other levels of government seem to be resorting to currently, it falls to local government to respect others and act honestly and ethically.
This was the recurring theme of his comments as he touched on his hopes for 2018, including continuing to earn the trust of residents and businesses with transparency and getting lawsuits - which he likened to a "festering wound" - resolved. He included his hopes to see increased conversion to clean energy through MCE.
Tatzin acknowledged the other "incredibly qualified council members" and the very talented citizens in Lafayette and thanked his wife, Ellen, for her continued support of him.
Although unable to attend the meeting, Burks commented via email. "I'm honored to have been elected by my colleagues as vice mayor. I look forward to continued, productive engagement with my fellow council members and the people of Lafayette. We live in a special place and our residents, businesses and visitors rightfully expect and deserve the absolute best in their elected representatives - and this is what I intend to deliver."
"Under Mayor Tatzin's leadership and the support of our fantastic city staff," said Burks, "I'm confident and excited about the future of our city."
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA