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Score one for Staci Bertagna
A brief political seizure perked up this week’s Redding’s City Council meeting.
It concerned a mayoral nominee to the Community Services Advisory Commission Community Development Advisory Committee.*
These things are usually routine: A vacancy occurs, the mayor nominates a worthy person to fill in, councilors praise the worthy person, and he or she is voted in unanimously.
But not so much on Tuesday.
Mayor Mary Stegall’s choice was Staci Bertagna, 29.
Councilors Rick Bosetti and Patrick Jones resisted, saying Bertagna was too young and too inexperienced for a community committee.
They said they had to vote their consciences and respectfully, respectfully, respectfully oppose the nomination.
Visibly torqued, Stegall said, “This is about nothing but politics. If you think it’s about anything else, you’re mistaken.”
Councilors Ken Murray and Dick Dickerson, who are up for re-election in November, endorsed and voted for the mayor’s choice. (They haven’t always. Political alliances shift with the breeze.)
Bertagna was in, 3-2. At the mayor’s invitation, she had a few words to say.
She thanked the three who voted in her favor and then sweetly, sweetly, sweetly handed the other two their heads.
“I’m excited to serve the community,” she said. “I have a long resume, which I’m more than happy to produce. … You can pretty much find me anywhere in the communty, if you want to. … At the age of 20, I was a program director at San Quentin, working directly with inmates. … and I have a master’s degree in social work.”
In other words, she can navigate a few committee meetings without stumbling.
Indeed, Bertagna comes from a long line of Shasta County natives, is the development director for the Shasta Family YMCA, has volunteered for multiple high-profile causes such as Plus One Mentors and American Cancer Society Relay for Life, has spearheaded the successful Shasta County Dance with the Stars benefits for two years and is a Leadership Redding alum.
She’s one of Redding’s best and brightest. Year for year, she’s conceivably been more involved in the community than Bosetti or Jones.
On the surface, it appears they’re ignorant of the facts.
They’re not. Look again.
They’re both up for re-election in two years, when she will surely run against them. Why would they help her gain any more ground than she already owns?
Bertagna is awfully smart.
But perhaps Bosetti and Jones aren’t as think as you dumb they are.
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* Apologies. No more sleep-writing for me.
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What makes me smile the most about this incident is that this was classic Stacy… she slayed ‘em while idling… look out when she revs her engine!
Thanks for giving the background on Stacy…and the political crap behind the Jones and Bosetti votes. I am new to the city stuff and I am trying to get a clue as to what is really going on at City Hall and the rest of the political community so that when I vote I will have a reason for my vote not just picking a name because it sounds good. I just happened to watch this meeting with the Stacy issue on T.V. last night. I like having this on T.V. because I probably would not see it otherwise. I liked the other young guy (I forget his name) that spoke also. We do need some younger blood in there that will actually be interested in the future rather than the “now” situation. If some of these old codgers are ready to kick the bucket why should they care about what happens in the future? It won’t affect them!
Finally, a little meat between the slices! A refreshing change from the RS of late.
Thanks for the background scoop, Kelly. O.k., but why isn’t Stacy running for Council this round? Wasn’t that the buzz on the streets on few months ago? Are there any women running for City Council this round?
LM, we reported the latest on the current City Council race yesterday (click on my button), and there is a woman running - Missy McArthur. Bertagna decided against running a couple of months ago, which I reported at pinkhollyhock.blogspot.com on June 17, if you want to see it. The council race filing deadline is 5 p.m. today. Check back later.
Kelly….Bosetti and Jones must belong to the good old boys net who don’t want to appoint women and if the others weren’t up for election, they too would have voted against a woman nominating a woman. 29 is too young, for god’s sake. Are these geezers on our council who considider 29 too young? We need to get them off because their too old to do the job if they consider 29 too old.
I know Stacy and her parents, Mike and Denice and all are fine upstanding people whose roots are deep in Shasta County.
Mike’s father was a Shasta County judge in Montgomery Creek and I knew the judge too.
Lets leave political difference at the damn door before we vote ladies and gentlemen.
Dear Kelly
Staci Bertagna is the best person for the job! I’ve asked for her help on raising funds for Shasta College
Scholarships and other projects which she has truly stepped up for the good of Redding..
It’s great to finally get some honest fresh blood at the top!
Born and raised in Redding I’ve seen a lot and most of it is truly “the good old boys” that have the run of
the show. You can’t do anything without the response of “That’s the way we’ve always done it and that’s the way
it will stay!”
Now I can say “You go girl” and keep up your great track record.