Title
Adoption of Resolution Commending Jim Oddie for Six Years of Service to the City of Alameda Councilmember.
Body
CITY OF ALAMEDA RESOLUTION NO. ______
COMMENDING JIM ODDIE FOR SIX YEARS OF SERVICE TO
THE CITY OF ALAMEDA AS COUNCILMEMBER
WHEREAS, Jim Oddie’s love of the City of Alameda began when he chose to raise a family here, beginning his dedicated service to the City as a volunteer for Alameda’s public schools, including serving on a Parcel Tax Advisory Committee, as a member of Alameda Hospital’s Finance and Management Committee, and serving on the City of Alameda’s Open Government Commission; and
WHEREAS, Jim Oddie dutifully served as an elected City Councilmember for four years from 2014-2018, and again from 2018-2020; and
WHEREAS, during his current term as Councilmember, Jim Oddie represented the City and advocated for our residents on many important regional agency boards, including Stopwaste, the Healthcare District Subcommittee, and the Airport Noise Management Forum; and
WHEREAS, as Councilmember, Jim Oddie prioritized protecting those most vulnerable in Alameda, making sure that people are not defined by their socioeconomic status, and fighting for racial equity, bringing forth a Resolution declaring racism a public health emergency and supporting ongoing actions to address the crisis; and
WHEREAS, as Councilmember, Jim Oddie prioritized keeping people in their homes through tenant protections, including establishing rent control in Alameda and ending the practice of allowing no cause evictions, developing affordable housing that allows everyone the opportunity to attain the dream of homeownership, and creating compassionate solutions for our unhoused neighbors; and
WHEREAS, as a Councilmember, Jim Oddie prioritized Alameda’s public safety, including working to establish the state of the art Emergency Operations Center that has been critical during COVID-19, maintaining 911 response times, and supporting the Community Paramedicine Program; and
WHEREAS, as Councilmember, Jim Oddie cared deeply about the City’s business community and worked tirelessly to lift businesses and our business associations up during good times and protect them through the devastating impacts from COVID-19, including bringing forth the creation of a grant program for Park Street and Webster Street so our small businesses would have the resources necessary to adapt and configure their outdoor spaces to continue to do business in a way that is safe for all; and
WHEREAS, as Councilmember, Jim Oddie was available to constituents to help solve problems and maintain the quality of life in Alameda that we all enjoy. Jim made it a priority to frequently attend City events including the Unity Picnic and 4th of July Parade, and represented the City of Alameda abroad visiting our Sister City Yeongdong-gun in September 2017; and
WHEREAS, as Councilmember, Jim Oddie supported the work performed by City departments to serve the community, and worked to ensure programs for community members at the City library, through our Recreation and Parks Department, and at our Senior Center, had the funding and resources they need to maintain services for all generations of Alamedans; and
WHEREAS, as Councilmember, Jim Oddie supported expanding Alameda’s physical spaces for community members to enjoy, including Jean Sweeney Open Space Park and bringing forth an implementation plan for creating the shoreline ecological park on the west side of Seaplane Lagoon at Alameda Point, commonly known as De-Pave Park; and
WHEREAS, as Councilmember, Jim Oddie supported ensuring the City’s infrastructure benefited all Alamedans, including providing the funding needed to fix local streets and potholes, installing pedestrian crossing lights, undergrounding neighborhood utilities, and maintaining our roads and stormwater systems; and
WHEREAS, Jim Oddie is a former District Director to Assemblymember Rob Bonta and has been involved in expanding the City’s relationship with our Statewide elected officials; and
WHEREAS, as Councilmember, Jim Oddie was instrumental in adopting City policies that focus on the values of inclusion, dignity for all, compassion, housing as a human right, and protecting the environment and our climate; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Alameda does hereby express its sincere appreciation to Jim Oddie for his decades of service to the Alameda community.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Alameda does hereby congratulate Jim Oddie on his many accomplishments while serving the City of Alameda and earning the utmost respect of his colleagues and constituents.
* * * * * * *
I, the undersigned, hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly and regularly adopted and passed by the Council of the City of Alameda in a regular meeting assembled on the 15th day of December, 2020, by the following vote to wit:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTENTIONS:
IN WITNESS, WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said City this 16th day of December, 2020.
Lara Weisiger, City Clerk
City of Alameda
Approved as to Form:
_______________________
Yibin Shen
City Attorney