CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake's newest councilman took the oath of office and participated in his first meeting on Thursday.
Nick Bennett was sworn in at the start of a special Clearlake City Council meeting Thursday evening at City Hall.
Council members Gina Fortino Dickson, Joyce Overton, Russell Perdock and Bruno Sabatier first went into a closed session discussion regarding labor negotiations before emerging and beginning the public portion of the meeting.
At that point, City Clerk Melissa Swanson administered the oath to Bennett as his wife Teresa, daughter Nichole and about a dozen community members looked on. After taking the oath, he received a standing ovation.
The council had voted unanimously on May 12 to add Bennett to their number.
He will serve out the remaining months of the term of Denise Loustalot, who left the council at the end of March because she and her family had moved just outside of the city limits. Loustalot's term ends in November.
Bennett retired last year after a lengthy law enforcement career. His last job was as a Clearlake Police Department sergeant.
With his oath taken, it was time for Bennett to join his colleagues and get down to business.
In the three-hour meeting that followed, Swanson led a brief new council member orientation before the council moved into a discussion of how Series A Bond funds should be allocated to city projects – which was the longest portion of the meeting.
The council ended with a study session on the city's mission statement, core values, vision and goals.
After the meeting, Bennett told Lake County News that he intends to run for the council this fall, and had committed to doing so if he was appointed.
In addition to the seat Bennett now holds, the seats held by Fortino Dickson and Overton also will be on the November ballot.
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