Tuesday’s December 9, 2008 Turlock City Council Meeting made history as two more people were added to Turlock’s list of leaders to hold public office as a Council Member. Amy Bublak and Mary Jackson took an Oath of Office to serve as an elected official and to fulfill their duties as a Council Member of the City of Turlock.
Both outgoing Turlock City Council Members Beverly Hatcher and Kurt Vander Weide were not in attendance but Mayor John Lazar did state his appreciation for their service and said that they would receive proclamations.
The Council Meeting was preceded by an art exhibit and had a celebratory atmosphere as many people came out only to support the seating of two new Turlock City Council Members. Dignitaries including Former Mayor Curt Andre, Former Mayor Brad Bates, Former Councilman Maurice Palmberg, Stanislaus County Supervisor-elect Vito Chiesa, and many Turlock Planning and Arts Commissioners came out for the special night.
The Council Chamber was filled with people standing and spilling out into the hallways.
Before Curt Andre led the meeting with a prayer, he spoke the most quotable statement when he told the new Councilwomen-elect that “You’re going to get sworn in and then you’re going to get sworn at.”
Turlock Treasurer and City of Turlock employee Diana Lewis took her Oath of Office after being re-elected on November 4, 2008. Mary Jackson then took her Oath of Office followed by Amy Bublak.
After the Oaths of Office were taken, Councilwoman Amy Bublak said that being a council member is much like being a police office as she is for the City of Modesto. She said that police officers take an Oath of Ethics and that she wanted to take that oath this night also. She invited her colleagues to do the same and so they all did. Judge Jeff Mayhew offered the oath to the entire Turlock City Council and the Turlock City Treasurer.
Mayor Lazar commented after the oaths asking that all Turlock City Council Members put aside anything from the tough campaign season and come together for Turlock’s sake. Mayor Lazar went on to say that the Council is accountable to 71,000 Turlockers and that he believed the Council could find more to agree upon than disagree.
The December 9, 2008 Turlock City Council Meeting went on to last until around 10pm with a Closed Session Meeting following.