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Politics & Government

Mayor Presides Over Last Council Meeting

Longtime councilman James Bond retires and Mayor Jerome Stocks leaves the dais after loosing his re-election bid.

Councilman James Bond was recognized for his twenty years of service on the council during his last official meeting November 28. Mayor Jerome Stocks presented Bond with a proclamation and a copy of “Encinitas Magazine” circa 1992, the year Bond was first elected.

“You could see by the list of things I’ve done, I couldn’t hold a job,” Bond told the sparse crowd. In addition to his service as a councilman, Bond has participated on various regional boards and committees as part of his duties.

“The city is in good hands with the council coming on,” he said with a laugh. City Planning department director Patrick Murphy, who has been employed by the city almost as long as Bond has served on the council, listed several of the larger projects that were initiated while Bond was a councilman including the Encinitas Ranch Golf course, the purchase of the Hall property and the extension of Leucadia Blvd. 

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“Some people may call 20 years on the council as dedicated service,” Murphy said. “Some might just call it nuts.” “I’ll leave that alone,” Bond responded.

Bond was one of three people elected out of 13 candidates in 1992, only 6 years after the city was incorporated. A retired phone company manager from Michigan, Bond has often said he sought public office to escape long days of playing golf. 

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“This is a new chapter in our lives,” Bond said, referring to his wife Jackie.

Unlike Bond, Stocks lost re-election rather than opt for retirement. After 12 years on the city council, Murphy also recognized Stocks, on behalf of the planning staff for his contributions. “How old was your son when we bought the Hall property?” Murphy asked Stocks, alluding to the long period of time between the purchase of the 44-acre site in 2001 for use as a park and the groundbreaking ceremony held just this year.

Deputy Mayor Kristin Gaspar thanked Stocks on behalf of the council and presented him with an engraved gavel. 

Stocks said he knew it was a given that the road in public office would be bumpy. “We all accept that,” he said. “But what they don’t tell you, especially the young people, you should run for office is that it’s truly amazing the feeling of accomplishing things for your community and working through issues,” Stocks said.

“For the final time, I’d like to ask if there are any future agenda items,” Stocks said to the other council members toward the end of the meeting.

“Well guess what folks, it’s a record, we’re adjourned,” Stocks said just before he closed his last council meeting.  

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