WEST SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - Heartfelt feelings of pride, sadness and excitement were the atmosphere of the Special City Council Meeting that took place on Wednesday, December 7. With every seat full and people lining the walls, this standing-room-only meeting was a trifecta of excitement. Longtime City Councilmember Chris Ledesma retiring from the Council, the swearing ins of Mayor Guerrero, Councilmember Dawnté Early West and Verna Sulpizio and making local ‘herstory’ formed the evening’s agenda.

Chris Ledesma, senior vice president strategic planning SBA Lending Group at Wells Fargo, has been a West Sacramento City Councilmember for 12 years. He actually began his career in West Sacramento public service ten years before when he joined the City’s Planning Commission. Since then, Chris has been part of the IFD Public Financing Authority, Mayor’s Commission on Climate Change, Port of West Sacramento District Commission, Riverfront Joint Powers Authority, River City Regional Stadium Financing Authority, Streetcar Policy Steering Committee, Yolo County Consolidated Redevelopment Successor Agency Board, and served as an alternate representative on the Sacramento Area Council of Governments, and the West Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency.

Chris has developed finance programs to help small businesses in West Sac to help make it through the COVID pandemic, has been an advocate for Mental Health programs and resources and has been a co-chair of the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce. He was also a leader in the development of the Clarksburg Branch Line Trail System and has guided West Sacramento through many financial matters in order to move forward with the development and growth of the city.

Chris has basically had a hand in everything that has changed West Sacramento in a positive light for the last 21 years. The respect and love that he has earned was apparent by the comments made during public input. After the City Council presented Chris with a Proclamation for his service and showed a short video, speakers including Assemblyman Kevin McCarty, Yolo County Supervisor Oscar Villegas, President of West Sac Chamber of Commerce Denice Domke, friends of Chris and Chris’s daughter.

Comments like “Your service has been invaluable,” (Mike McGowan) and “You were all in on the City Council,” and “You were seriously committed from day one to make this a better place, and as public servants, all we can really ask for is [to] hopefully leave this place a little better than we found it, and you and I can say with a straight face you absolutely have done your job,” (Oscar Villegas) were comments that led to the first of three standing ovations.

With his hand over his heart, Chris said that he is ready for history take place. He expressed with passion in his voice that he is honored to have been able to serve this city for as long as he has. He thanked his wife and family for their continued support and understanding for all of the missed games and plays and anniversaries, stating that that night was his 26^th anniversary. He also made a point to remind the committee that the person taking over his seat is a Seahawks fan.

“I’m overwhelmed at the moment. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you to my colleagues on the council, thank all of you; I’m truly grateful for all of your kind words.” He continued in part with “I truly value the work that we do here, and that is to oversee the city and what we do should be guided by that. I also want to take a moment to thank the community and my friends. Thank you for trusting me in this important seat for the last twelve years. You voted for me three times and I couldn’t be more proud of the work I’ve done, and I couldn’t be more humbled by representing you across the county, state and country. I couldn’t have been more energized by seeing the little things that we did, like a lady that can now get ice cream to bring home because of Via. That is something she has gone without for years because she didn’t have that service.”

One thing that was clear is that Chris will be missed. The group of people that were in that room are a small group of people that truly know what Chris has done for this town and you could hear and feel the appreciation. Chris was unable to hear from the community members whose lives he has changed over the last decade or two and many of the community members are unaware of how Chris has changed their lives, but either way Chris has earned the future time he will be spending with his family. Thank you, Chris!