Redding voters send newcomers Resner, Dacquisto to council and retain Schreder
Mike Chapman
The Redding City Council is getting two new members.
Challengers Erin Resner, 33, and Michael Dacquisto, 64, were the top two vote-getters after all the ballots from 55 precincts were tallied early Wednesday morning following Tuesday's election.
Mayor Kristen Schreder, 62, finished third to fill the remaining open council spot.
James Crockett finished in fourth place and out of the running. Incumbent Francie Sullivan failed to win re-election as she finished fifth.
Current Councilman Brent Weaver didn't run for re-election.
Tyler Whitlow, a campaign spokesman for Resner, said Tuesday night that she was very happy with the outcome and also appreciated the high voter turnout.
Resner is co-owner of the local Dutch Bros. coffee franchises with husband Chris.
"It's been a very exciting night," Whitlow said. "She (Resner) is humbled and thanks everyone who voted."
"It's been nothing but a celebration to see that first round (of results) come through," he said.
Resner was unavailable for comment Tuesday night and during the day Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Dacquisto, a lawyer and bankruptcy trustee, was upbeat Tuesday night after early election results showed him in second place.
"The results so far show the voters appreciated the message of my campaign," Dacquisto said.
He had focused on quality-of-life issues such as crime reduction and increasing jail capacity.
"The results are very encouraging. I'm honored the citizens have trust in me. I pledge to do my best to represent all their interests," Dacquisto said.
Schreder will help provide continuity on the council, along with standing council members Julie Winter and Adam McElvain, for her second term.
"I'd like to continue helping our community achieve all that we need to do," she said Tuesday night.
Crockett, 37, an instructor at Shasta College, hinted he's not finished with local politics. He's been a regular attendee at council meetings the past two years.
"I wish everybody the best," he said. "Either way, you haven't heard the last of me."
In a tweet Wednesday morning, Sullivan congratulated Resner, Dacquisto and Schreder.
"I wish you the best in making Redding an even better place to live, work and raise a family. I'm proud of our courteous and respectful campaign. Civility is alive and well in Redding," she said.
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Schreder said the new council will have plenty on its hands once Resner and Dacquisto settle in.
They'll both be sworn into office at the Dec. 4 council meeting and soon thereafter the full council will turn its attention to budget issues.
"We have ongoing conversations about getting our budget in order," Schreder said Wednesday. "We're focused on doing the work right in front of us — getting our budget documents lined up."
One priority will be how to pay for four Redding officers in the Neighborhood Police Unit and three firefighters.
The city already has committed a $500,000 donation from Bethel Church to help keep the neighborhood unit intact. Next, the city will look for ways to continue that funding in the future.
Another council topic will be implementing the newly-approved cannabis business tax, which already has been earmarked for public safety purposes.
"We have plenty to talk about," Schreder said.
Based on past campaign statements from Resner and Dacquisto, the council should have a renewed focus on both crime issues and promoting business.
Resner has said she believes in fostering a business-friendly culture so that small enterprises will be attracted to Redding. She's also said she'll back ideas to boost the local economy to create jobs.
For Dacquisto, solving the crime problem is a matter of working together with the city and county, which has oversight of the Shasta County Jail. Encouraging start-up companies and new businesses would be ways to establish the city's economic backbone, he says.
Resner has said one of her strong points is being able to take a collaborative approach for problem-solving.
Schreder says that approach has worked well for her the past several years in tackling the homeless issue.
"I have a lot of experience networking with a lot of people in the community. I'm very confident with working to bring ideas to the table," Schreder said.
Here are the unofficial council results as posted by the Shasta County Clerk:
- Resner: 2,007 votes for 25.52 percent.
- Dacquisto: 11,230 votes for 23.87 percent
- Schreder: 8,669 votes for 18.42 percent.
- Crockett: 7,943 votes for 16.88 percent
- Sullivan: 7,203 votes for 15.31 percent
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