Palo Alto City Council chooses new mayor, vice mayor

In keeping with tradition, the Palo Alto City Council has voted its former Vice Mayor Greer Stone as the new mayor, while it chose Councilmember Ed Lauing as vice mayor. Stone had no opponent, as Councilmember Vicki Veenker declined a nomination by fellow Councilmember Greg Tanaka for mayor. Stone won the vote 6 1, with Tanaka dissenting at Monday night’s meeting.

Traditionally, the Palo Alto City Council has usually chosen the vice mayor to take over as the next mayor to serve a one year term. Stone took over from former Mayor Lydia Kou, who said that during her term in 2023, she prioritized flood prevention and disaster response, among other programs, after several storms hit over the past year.

“I started off the year as mayor with the New Year’s Eve wind, rainstorms, that led to flooding. It was a wake up call to the city and to the residents residents, that we all have to play a part in ensuring the safe of lives, homes, and businesses,” she said. She thanked the council and residents of Palo Alto for “the honor and trust as your mayor for 2023.” As the city’s new mayor, Stone said one of his priority projects would be supporting mental health programs for Palo Alto’s youth.

“One challenge that is particular vexing is the epidemic of youth mental health and well being. I experienced it here as a student in Palo Alto, I see it in my students today,” Stone, a lawyer turned public school teacher and, said after winning the vote for mayor. “Degradation of youth mental health and well being has not alleviated and has continued to decline,” Stone added.

At the meeting, he announced the creation of a “youth mental health and well being task force” that would be composed of members of the local government, private and non profit organizations to address the problem. Julian Hong, a 17 year old who came out to support Veenker, said he expects the new mayor and the City Council to make good on its word that it would support youth mental health.

“I think from a student perspective, the issues that are currently affecting us are definitely student mental health and well being,” said Hong, currently the student body president at Palo Alto High School, in an interview. “That’s been a major focus of the district. I also think from a broad perspective, we need to take better care of our teachers, whether it be housing and things like that.

Things that affect students on an everyday basis,” Hong added. Hong also said that he hoped that more youth would get involved in the local government. “It just means speaking up when it matters and taking the time to actively engage with the community,” he said. The Council previously discussed during its Dec.

18 meeting if it should break with tradition and vote mayors to a longer term, and possibly holding an election where residents could choose their mayor, citing the need for continuity in leadership. That issue is expected to be debated in upcoming council meetings early this year..