Officials and residents praised outgoing City Council members Tom Moore (District Two) and Schelly Sustarisc (District Four and 2024 mayor) at the Dec. 9 council meeting.
In Seal Beach, council members may only serve two consecutive terms. Moore and Sustarsic both served eight years on the council.
There were presentations for both council members before the council handled business for the night.
District Three Councilwoman/Mayor Pro Tem Lisa Landau called the recess twice but then someone came up to the podium and spoke. The third time she called for a recess, the meeting stopped for 20 minutes while the public and staff enjoyed candies, cookies, coffee and conversation with the departing council members.
Moore submitted a farewell guest column to the Sun. (See page 6.)
In a Dec. 9 email, past council member and current District Four Planning Commissioner Patty Campbell commented on Sustarsic’s service. “Schelly Sustarsic has admirably served our city for 25 years: 17 years on the Parks & Rec Commission and 8 years on the City Council. And she did it all with grace. She is a true public servant, wanting only what was best for our city and for CPE,” Campbell wrote.
Outgoing State Sen. Janet Nguyen, recently elected as the District One member of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, was among the dignitaries who spoke before the recess. She presented each of the outgoing the outgoing council members with resolutions Nguyen spoke once to honor Moore and later spoke again to honor Sustarsic. While speaking to Moore, she said, “I never heard a ‘no’ from you whether it’s my phone call or my staff.”
Moore and Sustarsic also received praise from a representative from Assemblymember Diane Dixon, the California Joint Powers Insurance Authority, NWS Commander Capt. Jessica O’Brien, Los Alamitos Unified School District Area One Trusted Marlys Davidson, Seal Beach Chamber of Commerce Co-President Daren DeLeon and businesswoman Kori DeLeon, among others.
At the end of the meeting, following the reorganization of the council, Moore and Sustarsic were presented with plaques with gavels mounted on them.
