File photo - City Clerk Nancy Shollenberger watches Joe Mosca sign the necessary paperwork at his first swearing in as City Councilman, April 18, 2006.
Posted 11/10/11 – After some kidding from Mayor pro tem Josh Moran about not mentioning his office hours in Kersting Court or contacting him at Joe Mosca at JoeMosca.com, Joe Mosca served as a City Council member for the last time (this term) at Tuesday night’s meeting. Mosca resigned because his partner has taken a job in London, and the family will be moving there for two to three years.
Just before Public Comment, Mayor John Buchanan made presentations to Mosca, including commendations from the State Assembly and the Pasadena Unified School District, a Certificate of Recognition from the LA County Board of Supervisors, and the traditional tile plaque given by the City of Sierra Madre.
Mosca then addressed the audience in City Hall and watching on TV, saying that it was “odd and weird to be saying goodbye.” He noted that “this is our home” and that the family would be returning after this job, and that he would return to serving the community in some capacity.
He thanked his family, including his parents and in-laws, all his friends and supporters, City staff, present and former, his fellow council members, current and former, noting that “I did actually learn just as much from people I differed with” and Mayor John Buchanan, who he said “gives as much in his eight year as he did in his first (on the Council).”
He then cited some of the things that have been accomplished by the Councils during his time in office, among them the beginning of paramedic services, the improvement of fire service (“light years ahead of what it was in 2006”), improvements in the Police Dept. under soon to be departing Police Chief Marilyn Diaz, improvements in infrastructure, specifically roads and the water system, the addition of a park, the preservation of hillsides, and at PUSD, “noting that he was proud of what we’ve accomplished in the last six years”.
He closed by stating that he “will always feel that I’ve gotten out of this experience much more than I’ve given.”
As the meeting continued, Mosca recused himself from Item 5, discussion about options for filling a Council vacancy. Council has the option of appointing someone to fill out Mosca’s term, or holding a special election to fill the seat, again, through the end of his term. An appointment must take place within 60 days of the vacancy, which took effect at the end of Tuesday night’s meeting. Should the council choose to hold a special election, it would most likely do so concurrent with the regular election to be held on April 10th, 2012. The vacant seat would be a separate item on the ballot from the two seats already scheduled to be filled under the regular rotation.
During public comment, several residents expressed their desire to see the Council opt for the special election, as had happened at the Oct. 25th meeting, the first meeting after Mosca announced his intention to step down. The Council took no action towards replacing him Tuesday night.