It’s a new day in the City of Lathrop.
In front of packed chambers on Monday evening, the new fresh faces on the Lathrop City Council were sworn in to serve the growing community and join the pair of incumbents that saw their terms extended by voters.
But even though Diane Lazard and Jennifer Torres-O’Callaghan may be new faces to council, they aren’t new faces to the city – both of whom have served on the Lathrop Planning Commission, which previously produced outgoing councilmen Steve Dresser and Mark Elliott and returning mayor Sonny Dhaliwal.
Dresser, who led in voting until the final week of tabulation and loss by just several dozen votes, thanked the community for their continuous support of a career in public service that has spanned more than a decade, and gave special recognition to Lathrop’s city staff for their tireless work behind the scenes to help usher in a new era of prosperity.
“We’ve had some good times and some bad times, and it appears that we’re riding the crest again right now,” Dresser said. “And a lot of that is possible because of city staff – the City Manager, the City Attorney, Cari (James, Finance Manager) and the rest of the staff.
“They build the framework to make all of this possible and it’s not that easy to do.”
Elliott, who opted not to run for the remainder of the term he was appointed to and will instead serve on the Lathrop Manteca Fire District Board of Directors after running unopposed, had similar things to say about Lathrop’s city staff.
But for the fifth generation Lathrop resident – who has lived his entire life in Lathrop – the experience of getting to serve on the council and see a little bit more about how the city operates from behind the curtain was a blessing.
“We’re in the business of doing the very best that we can,” Elliott said. “And right now, with the time that I have spent doing this, I feel that our future is very bright.”
For Torres-O’Callaghan, who edged out an entrenched incumbent for the remainder of the unexpired term that was created with the death of Councilman Ruben Salcedo two years ago, the results of the election brought out humility and a willingness to serve the people that elected her.
“I thank you – I’m humbled,” Torres-O’Callaghan said during her brief comments. “I thank you for your confidence and I hope to serve you well.”
Lazard, who will serve a full term on the council, along with incumbent Paul Akinjo, was equally brief in her opening remarks as a member of the council after being sworn in, but used her time as a pledge as much as it was an introduction.
“Thank you for electing me,” she said. “I will come to represent the will of the people, and look forward to doing well.”
To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.
