Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Council Appointment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Rio Vista council unanimously appoints Lisa Duke to vacant seat after public interviews and debate
Summary
After four candidate interviews and extensive public comment, the Rio Vista City Council voted unanimously to appoint Lisa Duke to the vacant council seat; the meeting included calls for transparency and debate over online comments about candidates.
The Rio Vista City Council unanimously appointed Lisa Duke to the council’s vacant seat following a public series of timed interviews and an hour of public comment.
Duke, a longtime Planning Commission member and participant in the city’s General Plan Working Group, was nominated by Mayor Edwin Okamura and confirmed by roll call. Mayor Okamura moved the nomination and the motion carried with all four sitting councilmembers voting yes and one seat remaining vacant.
The appointment capped a contested public process in which four candidates — John Lompa, Lisa Duke, Tom Riscuso and Judy Kaupp — answered the council’s same set of questions about priorities, experience and how they would work with the governing body. Lompa, who ran for mayor last fall and said he has attended many council meetings, urged greater transparency on development agreements and asked the mayor to recuse himself over online posts; Mayor Okamura replied, “I will not be recusing myself.” The mayor later reiterated the decision when asked again.
Supporters on both sides of the dais made their cases during a robust public‑comment period. Several speakers endorsed Lompa for his business investments and activism in downtown revitalization. At the same time, multiple residents and civic leaders urged appointment of Duke because of her planning‑commission background, experience on the General Plan Working Group and perceived readiness to “hit the ground running.” One resident said Duke ‘‘has done the homework’’ on code and planning matters.
In her interview, Duke emphasized fiscal and infrastructure priorities and said she would bring a compliance‑oriented, research‑based approach from her professional career and commission work. She told the council she would run for the seat in two years if appointed.
After the vote the city clerk administered the oath and Duke took her seat. Councilmembers thanked all applicants and encouraged them to remain involved; several were invited to apply for the new Measure K Oversight Committee being formed by ordinance.
What’s next: Duke will serve the remainder of the two‑year term and, per her statement to the council, intends to run for election at the end of that term. The council also asked staff to make sure newly appointed members receive orientation and relevant briefing materials.
