Changes ahead for City Council

Canevaro steps down; three seats will turn over in November election

June 28, 2006

By COREY YOUNG
ARGUS-COURIER STAFF

Keith Cane-varo bid fare-well to his City Council colleagues last week, stepping down be-cause he is leaving Peta-luma. What will happen with the remaining six months of his term is one of a number of questions surfacing this summer about the city's future leadership.

The council had planned to discuss what to do about Canevaro's term at last week's meeting, but postponed their decision until July 17 because of the late hour -- 11:30 p.m.

When the issue is taken up again, the council will have to decide whether to leave the remaining six months of the term vacant, or name someone to the short-term assignment.

If the council does decide to name someone, it is unlikely to be one of the five current City Council candidates who plan to run in November. Such a move could be seen as giving a six-month head start to one candidate.

Former mayor Clark Thompson, who filled in for Canevaro when Canevaro was deployed to Iraq in 2004, has ruled himself out. Planning Commission Chair Steven Von Raesfeld has been mentioned as a possible replacement because his four-year commission term ends this week.

While council members didn't get into the details of how to deal with Canevaro's vacancy, they did thank him for his service to the city and wish him well as he prepares to move to the south bay to be closer to family and his new job.

"It is time for us to say goodbye to a friend we've all made on the Petaluma City Council," Mayor David Glass said. "Family commitments and professional opportunities are taking Mr. Canevaro out of our community, but he's been a large part of it. I've been proud to work with the council member, now vice mayor."

Council members praised Canevaro's work on several important city issues. Councilwoman Karen Nau noted it was Canevaro's swing vote last year that kept the new city garbage contract with Green Waste Recovery after another company made a late bid.

"If it wasn't for you, we'd probably still be discussing garbage," Nau said.

"Your common-sense way to approach problems and looking at things through a business prism was instrumental in what we've done in revitalizing downtown," Councilmember Mike Harris told Canevaro.

Councilmember Mike Healy said Canevaro has been "very open-minded and willing to look at both sides of issues" during his three-and-a-half-year tenure.

"We would not have the jobs-housing linkage fee in place in Petaluma if it weren't for your openness and flexibility and willingness to work with others to make that happen," Healy told him.

Councilmember Pamela Torliatt said she appreciated Canevaro's work in dealing with city infrastructure issues.

"Whether it was overpasses, bike and pedestrian issues, rail issues -- I felt we were able to work very well together," she said.

Canevaro was elected in November 2002 and began his four-year term in January 2003. Just over a year later, the U.S. Marine Corps reservist announced he had been called to active duty and would likely be deployed to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

He spent most of 2004, from March through the end of the year, on active duty. For seven of those 10 months he was in Iraq, where he served with a civil affairs unit and was awarded a Combat Action Ribbon after a convoy he commanded struck a roadside bomb and was ambushed by insurgents armed with rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns.

Last year, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and named second-in-command of the 23rd Marine Corps Reserve regiment, based in San Bruno.

Canevaro thanked his fellow council members for working well together in recent years.

"You have a strong group of people here before you, willing to do this service for our community," he told the audience during last week's meeting.

"I want to thank the members of our community, especially those of you who looked after my family while I was in Iraq," he said. "That was very, very special to me and my family and something we'll never forget."

Living in Petaluma meant a lot to him, his wife and two children, Canevaro said.

"I'm definitely saddened to leave," he said. "I want to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart, and I look forward to coming back and visiting you all."

His departure means only one incumbent on the council, Mike Harris, is seeking re-election to the same seat. Harris will be joined in the council race for three seats by challengers Teresa Barrett, Spence Burton, John Mills, David Rabbitt and Tiffany Renee.

Healy, who has served two terms on the council and is up for re-election, will run for mayor instead. Glass is not seeking re-election.

So far, no other mayoral candidates have come forward. The deadline to file for the council race is Aug. 11.

There has been speculation that Torliatt, who finished second in this month's Democratic primary for the 6th Assembly District seat, will run for mayor in November. Torliatt dominated the Sonoma-only primary election results in the two-county district, garnering 52 percent of the Sonoma vote among six candidates.

So will she run?

"I have not made a decision whether I'm going to do that or not," Torliatt said. "I need to take a few days off because we ran 24/7 for over a year" in the Assembly campaign.

Some of her supporters have asked her about running for mayor, Torliatt said.

"People have been asking me whether I'm going to do that, which is encouraging," she said.

(Contact Corey Young at cyoung@arguscourier.com)