Posted on Saturday, July 13, 2005

CONTRA COSTA TIMES
By Rebecca Rosen Lum

Richmond City Council fills Seat Vacated by Penn

As neatly and quietly as dancers performing a choreographed routine, the Richmond City Council voted newcomer Tony Thurmond into the seat vacated last month by Mindell Penn. First came a series of motions. Council members nominated then swiftly voted down former Councilman Gary Bell, Corky Booze, and Andres Soto. Mayor Irma Anderson and council members Tom Butt, John Marquez, Jim Rogers and Maria Viramontes voted for Thurmond. Abstaining were council members Nat Bates, Richard Griffin and Gayle McLaughlin.

A diverse lineup of speakers had urged the council to vote for Soto, who just missed winning a council seat in November. With 8,318 votes, Soto came in sixth. "I want to know why he has to go through the whole rest of the deal right now after that," said 60-year Iron Triangle resident Odessa Green.

Several speakers praised Soto's experience in conflict resolution and violence prevention. "We should not be voting on any other candidate," McLaughlin said, igniting a flurry of shouts and applause as she added, "If we cannot get five votes for Andres Soto tonight, we should go to a special election."

Thurmond, a social worker, attended Temple and Bryn Mawr universities and has embraced public service with a passion, endearing himself to Anderson in the process. Fluent in Spanish, he has a particular interest in tapping business to benefit the community. "He asked to work with youth," Anderson said before the meeting. "I steered him to parks and rec. We've been working on a youth commission, and he's been involved with that."

Rhonda Harris of Black Women Organized for Political Action praised candidate Deborah Preston-Stewart's "wealth of managerial skills" and said the Port of Oakland manager would commit herself to seeing that Penn's "blight to bloom" project came to fruition.

Others recalled Bell's straight-talking intelligence and financial acumen.

Thurmond was the only contender who did not advocate for himself before the council voted. Afterward, he spoke briefly. "It is time to get Richmond's business done," he said. "With your help, with God and with luck, we'll create a city we can be proud of."

Although the term runs out in 2008, Thurmond must run for office in 2006.

Both Bell and Soto said they plan to mount campaigns.

Reach Rebecca Rosen Lum at 510-262-2713 or rrosenlum@cctimes.com.