The Blue Lake City Council officially accepted the resignation of Council Member Elizabeth Mackay at a special meeting on Friday. Mackay sent her resignation letter to the City Clerk on July 24.
In a phone conversation on Monday, Mackay said she had been thinking about resigning for several months, as she struggled with the criticism that often comes from the council during public hearings.
“I felt like it was having a negative impact on my health and well-being,” she said.
Mackay was elected in December 2022. When she was sworn in, the city held the title of the only all-female city council in California, the LA Times reported.
Ultimately, working on the city council is not for her, she said.
“It wasn’t my style to help in Blue Lake,” she said. Describing herself as a sensitive person, she said it was exhausting to listen to the public backlash every month.
“The people who came to the meetings were against pretty much everything the city was doing, it was exhausting,” she said.
Her goal, she said, was to bring art to Blue Lake. Now she wants to focus on creating more art through her photography, continuing to teach art and serving on the town’s art and heritage commission.
In her resignation letter to Blue Lake’s city clerk, she wrote, “It has been an honor to serve on the council and represent our community for the past year and a half. I would like to express my gratitude for the opportunities and experiences I have had working with others whose goal is to improve the quality of life in the city,” and offered support to the next council member.
Those attending the meeting thanked Mackay for her services to the Council.
Process set for filling the seat
The four-member council on Friday approved the process to find a new council member. The council voted unanimously to go through the appointment process rather than hold a special election, which would cost the city an estimated $13,000 to $20,000, said Assistant City Attorney Ryan Plotz. The deadline to put the seat on the November ballot has passed.
“I think an appointment is the best possible scenario,” he said.
Instead, the council will interview interested candidates. They must submit their applications by September 27 and will be interviewed at a special meeting on October 8.
Council members wanted a quick process to get ahead of the November election. Seven of them have filed nomination papers for three open seats. Some of those candidates are likely to run for the remainder of Mackay’s term, which ends in 2026.
According to Blue Lake City Clerk Anali Gonzalez, incumbents Christopher Edgar and Adelene Jones, Katheryn Napier, Christopher Firor, Michelle Lewis-Lusso, Verda Winona Natasha Pitts and John Sawatzky have submitted their nomination papers to run for Blue Lake City Council. All of the candidates’ signatures have been verified, Gonzalez said in an email. Mayor Angela Shull has not sought re-election.
“I hope you have thicker skin than I do,” Mackay said when asked if she had any advice for the next council member.
Sage Alexander can be reached at 707-441-0504.
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