The current council had been together a full four years since Lamar Heystek’s election in 2006 and four of the five members have served for six years together. Whether one agrees or disagrees with her, Ruth Asmundson has served this community in public office for 18 years. She had an eight year tenure on the city council, finishing first in her election both times, serving four years as Mayor Pro Tem and four years as Mayor.
For Lamar Heystek, it was a very different leaving. He’s only 31. He is just married for the first time and looking to start a family. He has his entire life ahead of him. Many people believe he is not retiring from public life, but merely taking a leave of absence. There were no tears, only gratitude from his colleagues who wore bow ties in his honor. They paid homage to his decorum, his fashion, and his overall sense of fairness, decency, and his fight for social justice and for the children of this community.
For me these were two very different people. Mayor Ruth Asmundson is not someone I see eye-to-eye with on the issues of the day. Indeed, she along with the council majority, I very much disagree with on most issues. One thing that I can say in all honesty is that on a personal level, the Mayor has always treated me with kindness, decency, and respect. Whatever our political differences in our personal interactions there was never any sort of animosity. She was always open to meet, always receptive to suggestions, and a good and kind person to work with. We were not close personally, but always respectful.
My relationship with Councilmember Heystek was very different. He is younger than me. We were people who were natural allies in terms of our vision of the city and city government. I hope this does not get me trouble, but in some ways Lamar was like a brother to me and I will greatly miss working with him and our relationship that we shared.
I can honestly say I have never met a more dedicated person than Lamar Heystek. He worked long and hard hours both at his job and for the city. Often to the point where you could tell he was hanging on by a thread, and somehow he would always find a way to push through and make it to the end of the meeting, not participating, but contributing.
Sue Greenwald told the story last night that Councilmember Heystek often had little margin for error in moving through his roles in life. One day they were meeting in the afternoon, and she heard a buzzing noise coming from the dais, she said she asked Don Saylor what that noise was, and they looked and there was Councilmember Heystek ducked under the dais, shaving, getting ready for the meeting.
He was by far the youngest member of the council and yet a role model to his colleagues. His dress, his civility and decency, his professional decorum rubbed off on his colleagues and changed the way they interacted. He always addressed the Mayor as Madam Mayor, and referred to his colleagues by their title rather than their first name.
While Councilmember Heystek only served the Davis City Council for four years, Ruth Asmundson served eight years on the council. She left her own legacy through the various meetings she attended as a representative of the city and her work on the sister city program. Before her current role on the council, she served as a school board member and before that, she was married to Vigfus Asmundson, who had been Mayor of Davis in the early 1970s.
I certainly have had my share of disagreements on policy matters with Ruth Asmundson over the years. I do not think this is the appropriate place to recount them. In the coming days, I may talk about the legacy of this outgoing council, but for now I think we all need to acknowledge the service that these individuals have given to the community.
Being on the city council is a thankless job. It does not pay. The members do not have their individual staff. And the community is passionate about the issues.
Sue Greenwald speaking about Lamar Heystek last night talked about the fact that she thought he was better served in the state legislature with his commitment to social justice. She talked about the fact that he wanted to be loved by all and do the right thing for everyone, but the life on the council is about making tough decisions when all sides are complete disagreement and that he did that job to the best of his abilities.
The Davis Community in my view is both passionate and fair. I think there is a level of respect earned by sitting on that dais, listening to people at times vent their spleens, and take it all in with professional decorum. At the end of the day, you cannot please everyone on the issues, however, you can treat people well and listen faithfully to their concerns, and if you do that, you will gain the respect of most people.
We are in one of the most trying times that most of us have lived through. The economy is the worst most of us have seen. The state of government and its ability to function is hamstrung by lack of resources and political infighting. The coming years will be difficult. For one day at least, we can celebrate service to the community as the highest calling, the rent we pay for living in a democracy.
—David M. Greenwald reporting
Photos: First: Mayor Pro Tem Don Saylor makes remarks to outgoing members Asmundson and Heystek along with colleagues Stephen Souza and Sue Greenwald;
Second: Senator Lois Wolk presents award to Asmundson and Heystek as Assemblymember Mariko Yamada looks on;
Third: Assemblymember Mariko Yamada makes comments to Asmundson as Councilmember Heystek and Senator Wolk look on;
Fourth: Supervisor Jim Provenza presents Asmundson and Heystek on behalf of the County Board of Supervisors;
Fifth: Mayor Christopher Cabaldon of West Sacramento makes remarks to Asmundson and Heystek ;
Sixth: School Board Member Gina Daleiden honors Asmundson and Heystek on behalf of the Davis Unified School District’s Board of Trustees.
I would like to say this:
Good riddance to a bad mayor and an example of corruption in government.
Ruth asmundson will not be missed in any way shape or form and she should be likened to joe barton.
Lamar on the other hand is needed in the state legislature. We need more Lamars in government. Bottom line.
It’s not just the corrupt politicians in government, but the many corporate moles that get jobs in govt. jobs and work on the side to prevent government from doing its job.
Take MMS the EPA and resulting mess that we have in the government.
think about this…the administrator of the EPA has allowed the use of corexit to be used in unprecedented amounts with no science behind it. she’s letting bp do whatever they hell they want and is taking money from the tax payers.
Why has she not been fired?????
MMS you know the Mineral Management Services which has 17,000 employees is the “regulatory” agency taht allowed transocean, halliburton, and BP to fast track their application for the deepwater horizon…..
so who are we going to blame?
Just remember……to all the republicans that wanted their precious tax credits, and their precious deregulation…
well you got it and stuck us with the bill and aftermath of an extreme capitalistic expansion and government infringement into our personal lives.
huh, how could that be?
you wanted Arnold Schwarzneggar and you got him, and guess what, we’re still in debt with huge costs to the poor.
Don’t ever forget that republicans and their tax credits haven’t done us any favors and will never do us any favors.
they’ll just threaten to leave the state in search of another tax haven if we don’t give them a free tax ride.
then they’ll do it anyway, after raiding our govt. coffers for a few years.
you small govt. republicans are a bunch of hypocrits and need to get off corporate welfare.