(From Press Release) – Yolo County native Ezra Sieferman Beeman, founder of local Davis businesses Energeia USA and Empower Energy, today announced his candidacy for Davis City Council in the upcoming June primary.
“I am running for Davis City Council to re-establish the values and thinking that once made Davis one of the most progressive and forward-thinking cities in the US in issues such as housing (Village Homes), energy (Solar USA), transportation (bicycle lanes) and food/agriculture (Farmers’ Market / Co-Op),” Beeman said.
“I am starting my campaign today because the next two years will be a pivotal time in the setting of the City’s future direction. Updates to the General Plan and the launch of the City’s energy business will have major, long-lasting impacts,” said Beeman. “I believe my background, capabilities, energy, and priorities make me the best choice for Davis City Council.”
Beeman was born in Woodland in 1974 to Howard (‘Zeke’) Dean Beeman Jr., a local, farmer, and Susan Pelican, a nurse-midwife. Beemans and Siefermans have farmed in Yolo County for 5 generations. Their 320-acre farm was one of the first to be registered organic in California in the 1970s, and the first land used by local organic farming pioneers Jeff and Annie Main (Good Humus), and Martin Barnes and Kathy Barsotti (now Capay Organics), who helped found the Davis Farmers Market. His mother worked as a nurse midwife for 10 years at the Davis Community Clinic. Susan and Zeke were both active in Yolo County politics.
“My Davis roots run deep. I sold seedless watermelon at the Farmers Market for years to earn enough money to buy my first car. I also volunteered in the early days of the Davis Food Co-Op to fulfill the families’ annual labor contribution,” Beeman recalled.
Since graduating from Claremont McKenna College with degrees in economics and philosophy, Beeman has worked in the energy and utilities sectors. First in the oil business, but later, and for most of his career, for electricity utilities. He worked for Cambridge Energy Research Associates in Oakland, and Paris, France, and for the state owned electricity utility serving Sydney, Australia. He also obtained his Masters in Applied Finance in Sydney. He left Sydney in 2009 to found his own emerging energy technology focused consultancy, Energeia.
After his father’s passing, he returned to Davis in 2015 with his wife, Ceri, to allow their children, Sydney (9), Ezekiel (7), and Eden (5) to attend Davis’s schools, and he set up his company’s US headquarters here.
Vision for Davis
Beeman’s vision for Davis combines:
Neighborhood-led (rather than developer-led) housing
First-rate City parks, programs, and services
A more community-oriented downtown, Davis-style
Ensuring fair access to City services, resources and opportunities for all
100% locally produced, 100% renewable energy system
Reducing City taxes
Kick-Off Party
A campaign kick-off party will be held on February 9th between 6pm and 8pm at the home of Colin Walsh, at 627 Buchanan St, Davis.
For for Information
Visit the website at www.beemanforcouncil.org or contact the candidate at 530 312 6127.
“Neighborhood-led (rather than developer-led) housing”
Like Habitat for Humanity? Tia should jump on this bandwagon.
“First-rate City parks, programs, and services
A more community-oriented downtown, Davis-style
Ensuring fair access to City services, resources and opportunities for all
100% locally produced, 100% renewable energy system
Reducing City taxes”
A tofu chicken in every pot, too? If he can do all of that and lower taxes, you’ve got David Copperfield there.
I find it interesting that he wants first-rate parks, programs and services but wants to reduce city taxes. Not sure how he plans to pay for that.