Vega named next mayor
Woodland’s City Council designated Mayra Vega as the next Mayor of the city effective at the council’s first December meeting.
Current Mayor Tom Stallard, District 2, will step down from his role and become a councilman while Councilwoman Victoria Fernandez will fill Vega’s current position as mayor pro tempore.
Woodland has been utilizing annual rotating terms for the office of mayor and mayor pro tempore since 2016 when it transitioned from at-large council elections to council elections by-district, according to the staff report.
“On Dec. 7, the annual mayoral rotation will see Mayra Vega become our second Latina mayor,” Stallard stressed. “She is exceptionally well prepared for this role will also be our first mayor who comes from one of our new neighborhoods. I’m expecting great things from her.”
Vega, District 5, represents the relatively new Spring Lake community and has been a councilwoman for roughly a year and a half. She said she’s honored to have the opportunity to serve the community as mayor.
“I am excited to continue to work diligently with my council colleagues so our city continues to be a great place to live, grow, work and play,” she said.
Vega said she will largely focus on supporting the city and finding ways to overcome challenges brought by the pandemic.
“This will be done by building community and programs that support individuals, families and businesses in our city,” Vega assured. “I look forward to recognizing and celebrating all the diversity of our residents and businesses.”
She plans on working closely with staff and council colleagues to proactively identify, prioritize and fund issues that impact all districts of the city.
Fernandez, District 4, is optimistic about Vega’s transition to mayor and highlighted her advocacy for the needs of working families specifically in the area of childcare.
“During our last council retreat, which was
led by Mayra, we focused on our strategic plan implementation and measurable data to inform our community of how we are working to improve their quality of life,” Fernandez said. “I am optimistic that she will continue to lead us in the same direction.”
Woodland’s City Council is diverse compared to others and the city is now looking at two years of continued mayorship from Vega and Fernandez who are both Latina women.
“Since the 2016 election, which was the first district election in Woodland, we had three young Latino council members on the council for the first time,” Fernandez noted in reference to Angel Barajas, Enrique Fernandez and Xochitl Rodriguez.
“Hopefully they inspired others to pursue public service and made it an attainable goal.”
Vega added that representing the diversity of the city’s community is also important to effectively be able to serve and foster engagement with the residents and businesses here.
“Having a diverse council allows us to bring a broad base of perspectives, experiences and issues,” she stated.
“I’m proud to be a part of a community that embraces and supports women of color.”
However, Fernandez said she is disappointed that it has taken the city 150 years to accomplish this diversity in its city council.
“As women continue to be slightly over 50% of Woodland’s population and Latinos/Hispanics make up 48.3% of our community it seems only logical that we should have an influential role in the leadership of our community,” she stressed. “I am optimistic that the trend in local government will continue to reflect the diversity of our residents and community.”
Stallard has served on the council since 2011 and served as mayor for two years prior to 2016. With the transition of power only weeks away, Stallard and his colleagues reflected on the amount of work that has occurred since he became mayor a year ago.
“The city, like all of us, has had to pivot multiple times,” Stallard said. “It has been there for our small business community helping with coping mechanisms such as facilitating outdoor dining.”
He noted that one of the most remarkable things about the last year has been the fact that the sales tax revenue has continued to rise despite the coronavirus pandemic.
“This shows how dynamic our economy is,” he stated.
He commended city staff for continuing to get jobs done including deployment of fire crews to help with major forest fires, applauded the city’s commitment to the agriculture industry through the opening of Lab@AgStart and said he is excited about moving forward with the development of the new Woodland Research and Tech Park community.
Other notable items Stallard has supported while serving as mayor include the planned development of a new community swimming pool near Pioneer High School and the creation of a new Sports Park Drive pedestrian and bike overcrossing that Stallard believes will help unite the community.
Vega and Fernandez said they were both thankful for Stallard’s leadership and service over the past year. Fernandez noted that he has been on the council longer than anyone else and that his experience has helped his colleagues through the challenges brought by the pandemic.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic it has been a challenge to navigate through new protocol and procedures for all communities and I am grateful for Mayor Stallard’s leadership,” Fernandez emphasized.