Mayor Asmundson and Councilmember Heystek Bid Farewell

On Tuesday night, two very different members of the Davis City Council, in very different stages of their lives, bid farewell in very different ways as Davis closed the book on a lengthy chapter of its history and a period of almost unprecedented stability on the Davis City Council.

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.

In attendance was her children and three grandchildren.  She gave a tearful and heartfelt farewell and it was clear that she was moving from one stage of her life to another.  Friend and foe alike paid her a respectful tribute as it should be.  They recognized her long and devoted work in this community and her work outside of this community serving to put Davis on the map through the sister city program and as one of the few elected Filipino-American Mayors.

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.