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Posted inLocal News

Pleasant Hill begins era of district elections with arrival of 3 new council representatives

by Tony Hicks, Bay City News December 20, 2024December 18, 2024

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There have been big changes to the Pleasant Hill City Council.

At its meeting Monday, the council welcomed three new members while saying goodbye to those they replaced.

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Then the council chose Sue Noack as mayor and Zac Shess as vice mayor for 2025.

New members Belle La (District 1), Andrei Obolenskiy (District 2) and Amanda Szakats (District 5) were sworn in.

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The city moved from at-large to district-based elections this year and they are happening in two phases. Districts 1, 2 and 5 officially came into existence Monday.

Obolenskiy was the only candidate to file papers for the new District 2 seat, so the council decided in August to appoint him to the post.

From left: Belle La, Amanda Szakats and Andrei Obolenskiy were sworn in Monday, Dec. 16, 2024, as the newest members of the Pleasant Hill City Council. (File images)

Districts 3 and 4 come into play in 2026.

Three current councilmembers live in the future District 3 currently represented by Shess, whose term doesn’t expire until 2026. Noack’s term is also up in 2026. They will then be eligible for reelection in Districts 3 and 4, respectively.

Councilmembers Tim Flaherty, Matt Rinn, and Allen Vinson, who served on the council for a combined 22 years, left office at the end of their terms, as they were ineligible to run in newly created Districts 1, 2, and 5.

La is the first Asian American representative on the council, the city said in a statement.

Tagged: Amanda Szakats, Andrei Obolenskiy, Belle La, district elections, Election 2024, government, Pleasant Hill, Pleasant Hill City Council, Sue Noack, Zac Shess

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