Testa, Narum, Thorne taking oath of office at special Pleasanton council meeting

The Pleasanton City Council is ready to usher in a new era Tuesday evening, as first-time Councilwoman Julie Testa is set to be sworn into office alongside re-elected Councilwoman Kathy Narum and Mayor Jerry Thorne during a special council meeting.

Narum and Testa finished first and second, respectively, in the four-candidate race for two City Council positions during the Nov. 6 general election, with newcomer Testa essentially taking the seat up for grabs with incumbent Councilman Arne Olson not seeking re-election. Thorne won his fourth and final term as mayor while on the ballot uncontested.

The trio will take their positions on the dais following a swearing-in ceremony at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the council chambers at the Pleasanton Civic Center, 200 Old Bernal Ave. A public reception for family, friends and other residents will precede the special meeting, starting at 6 p.m. across the parking lot in the Pleasanton Public Library.

Narum easily retained her council seat with 15,800 votes (or 33.31%), marking her second and final full term on the dais where she has sat since winning a special mail-only election to fill a vacant seat in May 2013.

Testa, who garnered 12,362 votes (26.07%) to earn the second seat, will bring a second slow-growth voice to the dais, joining second-term Councilwoman Karla Brown — who backed Testa’s campaign. A longtime community advocate and 2016 mayoral candidate, Testa also sat on the city’s Human Services Commission from 1995 to 2007.

In the end, Testa finished comfortably ahead of the two other challengers in the race: former Parks and Recreation Commission member Joe Streng (20.82%), who was backed by the Chamber of Commerce and councilmen Olson and Jerry Pentin, and lesser-known candidate Joseph Ledoux (19.51%), a Berkeley police officer who lives in Pleasanton and had the support of the city’s police and fire unions.

Narum and Testa each earned four-year terms that run through November 2022.

Appearing on the ballot without a challenger, Thorne won re-election with 23,093 votes (or 95.13%), with the remaining votes going to various write-in candidates.

This will be Thorne’s fourth and final two-year term as mayor, under the city’s term limits. He has more than 23 years of city service experience under his belt, with time as mayor, City Council member and Parks and Recreation Commission member.

Narum, Testa and Thorne are each set to offer brief remarks after being sworn into office Tuesday night. Olson will also offer parting words before he steps down with Testa taking office.