Tom Beck thanked for his year of service.
Photos and Video by Terry Miller
By Daniel Garay
Tuesday night marked the end of former Mayor Tom Beck’s one-year term. In the midst of ceremony and speeches, the City Council elected a new mayor. Outgoing Mayor Tom Beck nominated experienced Arcadian Peter Amundson to take up the job as mayor, also nominating fellow first-term council member, Sho Tay, for Mayor Pro Tempore.
Both were elected easily. This is the second time the experienced council member was granted the job, serving from 2010 to 2011.
Beck was thanked by various state, federal, and county officials, as well as community organizations. Most notable of which was a crop, presented to him from the Santa Anita Racetrack, which Beck humorously brandished to City Council.
In his outgoing statement, Beck remembered the first ten months of his tenure and how smoothly it ran until the Verizon cell tower and coyotes came into the picture.
In his speech soon after he was officially bestowed the office, he thanked Beck for his time as Mayor.
Amundson harkened back to his slogan, “Keep Arcadia great,” and laid out his plan for Arcadia. “Arcadia has a history of greatness,” said Mayor Amundson, “likewise, it is important to cherish and remember that history.” The 60-plus-year resident remembered talking with a neighbor as a youth about the history and great things of the city.
Praising the diversity of Arcadia, Mayor Amundson said, “No matter where you’re born, I think most of us are here because we want the same things … Not just benefit from Arcadia’s greatness, but to acknowledge and build upon it.”
The Mayor also introduced a three-prong plan for Arcadia: fiscal responsibility, enforcement, and education.
Mayor Amundson revamped his promise for a Downtown Arcadia, something that has been in the works and will continue for the foreseeable future.
In a handful of words, Mayor Pro Tem Tay promised to help make a united Arcadia that Amundson spoke and envisioned.
Council Member Roger Chandler thanked Beck for his term as well as his volunteer efforts saying that Beck represented the City well. Commenting on Amundson’s election, Chandler remarked, “We’ve done this dance before.”
Council Member April Verlato congratulated Amundson and Tay. Verlato also took the time to review her first year on City Council pointing to victories on the development code, tree protection, and the vacant home registry, thanking Beck in the process. “It’s been a great year.”
