1 RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA,
SWEARING-IN CEREMONY MINUTES
January 10, 2023, 5:00 pm
Community Services Building
440 Civic Center Plaza
Richmond, CA 94804
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A. WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS - 5:00 P.M.
Vice Mayor Eduardo Martinez called the Swearing-In Ceremony to order via Zoom at 5:00 p.m. Doria Robinson, Cesar Zepeda, and Soheila Bana gave comments.
B. ROLL CALL
Present: Councilmembers Nathaniel Bates, Claudia Jimenez, Gayle McLaughlin, Melvin Willis, Demnlus Johnson III, and Vice Mayor Martinez. Absent: Mayor Thomas K. Butt was absent the entire ceremony. Councilmember Gayle McLaughlin arrived after the roll was called.
C. INVOCATION
Pastor Ulis Redic, Mount Zion Baptist Church, gave the invocation.
D. BEST WISHES TO DEPARTING MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS
Councilmembers Claudia Jimenez, Gayle McLaughlin, Melvin Willis, and Vice Mayor Eduardo Martinez gave comments.
E. PROCLAMATIONS TO:
MAYOR THOMAS K. BUTT, COUNCILMEMBERS NATHANIEL BATES AND
DEMNLUS JOHNSON III
Council Liaison Trina Jackson-Lincoln gave comments regarding outgoing Mayor Thomas K. Butt and read proclamations that were later presented to outgoing Councilmembers Nathaniel Bates and Demnlus Johnson III.
F. COMMENTS FROM OUTGOING MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS
2 Councilmember Nathaniel Bates gave comments and requested that City Clerk Pamela Christian read his farewell comments into the record. Councilmember Demnlus Johnson III followed with his concluding comments.
G. PUBLIC COMMENT (limited to ONE minute to address new and departing Councilmembers ONLY)
Mark Wassberg, Cheryl Davila, Naomi Williams, Deborah Small, Jovanka Beckles, Harpreet Sandhu, BK, Ludmyrna Lopez, John Gioia, Mikki Norris, David, Ryan Lau, Cheryl Sudduth, Jessie Taran, and Chris Conrad gave comments via teleconference.
H. ADMINISTRATION OF OATH OF OFFICE AND PRESENTATION OF CERTIFICATES OF ELECTION TO:
City Clerk Pamela Christian administered the Oath of Office and presented Certificates of Election to Eduardo Martinez, Cesar Zepeda, Doria Robinson, and Soheila Bana.
I. COMMENTS AND EXPRESSIONS OF APPRECIATION
Mayor Eduardo Martinez and Councilmembers Cesar Zepeda, Doria Robinson, and Soheila Bana gave comments.
A performance was given by members of Son de La Tierra from East Bay Center for the Performing Arts.
J. ROLL CALL
Present: Councilmembers Soheila Bana, Claudia Jimenez, Gayle McLaughlin, Doria Robinson, Melvin Willis, Cesar Zepeda, and Mayor Eduardo Martinez.
Absent: None.
K. WELCOME TO NEW MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS
Councilmembers Claudia Jimenez, Gayle McLaughlin, and Melvin Willis gave comments.
L. CLOSING REMARKS
City Manager Shasa Curl and Mayor Eduardo Martinez gave closing remarks.
M. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Eduardo Martinez adjourned the meeting at 6:54 p.m. and invited the public to join the new mayor and councilmembers at Bridge Storage, Art and
3 Events, 23 Maine Street to celebrate their new positions on the Richmond City Council. This was not a city sponsored event.
Clerk of the City of Richmond Mayor