Woodside council certifies Nov. 5 election, swears in members and names Brian Dombkowski mayor

The Woodside Town Council on Dec. 10 adopted a resolution declaring the results of the consolidated municipal election held Nov. 5, 2024, administered oaths to newly elected members and reorganized council leadership, choosing Brian Dombkowski as mayor and Paul Gold as mayor pro tem.

Congresswoman Anna Eshoo joined the special meeting by phone to congratulate the council and outgoing officials, and to note federal investments she said she helped secure for the area. “I am very proud to have secured the $800,000 for bicycle and pedestrian safety, near Woodside High School,” Eshoo said, and she added that she had requested $1,200,000 on behalf of Woodside to replace the Mountain Home Road bridge.

The resolution declaring the Nov. 5 election results was presented by town staff and moved, seconded and approved on a unanimous roll-call vote of the members present. Council members then administered oaths of office to newly elected officials; the oath language included commitments to uphold the U.S. and California Constitutions and town ordinances.

Following the swearing-in, the council conducted its annual reorganization. Mayor Jen Wall nominated Brian Dombkowski as mayor; the nomination was seconded and passed by roll call. The council then nominated Paul Gold to serve as mayor pro tem; that motion also passed unanimously. The council also approved a single consent calendar item at the start of the special meeting by unanimous roll call.

The meeting included ceremonial proclamations honoring outgoing council members Chris Shaw, who was recognized for nine years of service, and Ned (surname appears with variant spellings in the transcript), who was recognized for six years of service. A representative from State Senator Josh Becker’s office read resolutions from Becker and Assembly Member Mark Berman recognizing the outgoing members.

Mayor Jen Wall, concluding her final meeting as mayor, thanked council colleagues, staff and residents, and cited accomplishments during her year in office including passage of the town’s housing element and adoption of a safe-storage firearms measure. The council then announced it would move into closed session and reconvene for the regular session at 7:00 p.m.

Votes at a glance: consent calendar item 1 — approved (unanimous); resolution declaring consolidated municipal election results (Nov. 5, 2024) — approved (unanimous); nomination and election of Brian Dombkowski as mayor — approved (unanimous); nomination and appointment of Paul Gold as mayor pro tem — approved (unanimous).

The council indicated staff would return with any necessary follow-up on items referred during the communications period; no substantive non-agendized public-comment items were taken up during the special meeting.