“In With the New and Out with the Old," So Goes it on the Colton City Council

Even though the evening of Dec. 2 was centered on the official results of the Municipal Election held on Nov. 4, in which Resolution No. R-110-14 outlined the voting results of the election, the overall theme of the evening seemed to reflect a mutual respect and love for those officials who were leaving office and an accepted anticipation of those officials remaining or entering brand new positions on the Council. Mayor Sarah Zamora and Councilwoman Susan Oliva (District 4) had decided not to run for re-election onto the Council and Councilman Frank Gonzales and ex-Councilman Richard De La Rosa ran for Zamora’s seat, while newcomers Luis S. Gonzalez and Richard Prieto ran for Oliva’s seat. In District 1, David Toro was up for re-election and was unopposed, and in District 2 Councilman Gonzales’s empty seat, two residents, Summer Zamora Jorrin and George Aguilar, ran to fill the position. The total number of votes cast in the precincts and by mail voter ballots for the City of Colton was 5,792. The Council was presented with the findings by the San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters and they approved that: Richard De La Rosa was elected as the new mayor for the City of Colton for a full term of four years; David Toro was elected as the District Council Member for the City of Colton for the full term of four years; Summer Zamora Jorrin was elected as the District 2 Council Member for the full term of four years; and Luis S. Gonzalez was elected as the District 4 Council Member for the City of Colton for the full term of four years. Before this approval took place though, all of the council members were able to express their opinions and encouragement to those members of the council leaving and those who were staying plus the newly elected members. Councilwoman Oliva outlined the many areas of accomplishment and growth the city has moved toward while she had been on Council, and she gave praise to Councilman Frank Gonzales for all of his work for the betterment of the city. Gonzales couldn’t be there that evening due to a family emergency. Councilwoman Deirdre Bennett also gave praise to Gonzales, saying, “I supported him four years ago to come back on Council, and we will surely miss his financial experience.” Of course one of the hardest good-byes to be given was for the outgoing Mayor Sarah Zamora, who took on the responsibility of finishing her husband’s mayoral term (David Zamora), and guided the Council through both calm and troubled waters. Her faith in God was unwavering and her strong belief gave her support through all of the turmoil and discourse of running a city. Newly-elected Mayor Richard De La Rosa presented Zamora with a gavel to honor both hers and David’s service on the council and their support of the city. County Supervisor Josie Gonzales’s chief of staff, Dan Flores, said it best about Sarah, as he presented her with a plaque from and Supervisor Gonzales and Supervisor James Ramos: “Sarah it was not your plan to be Mayor of Colton, but it was God’s plan.”