Trio of newcomers take seats on Sonoma City Council

Three new council members were sworn in Monday in Sonoma after numerous residents expressed heartfelt thanks to those stepping down: Mayor Tom Rouse and Councilmen Steve Barbose and Ken Brown.

Gary Edwards, a cheese marketer and former planning commissioner, was the first to take the oath, followed by retired fundraiser Madolyn Agrimonti and Rachel Hundley, a political newcomer who defeated Brown last month by 203 votes.

Final election results show Hundley received 17 percent of the votes, while Edwards and Agrimonti received 19 and 18 percent, respectively.

“I’m humbled by the responsibility that I’ve been given,” Hundley said after taking her seat at the dais.

David Cook, who was selected unanimously as the new mayor, thanked the exiting council members and handed them plaques.

“We leave the city in good hands,” said Brown, who had served on the council for 16 years. He said he applied for the planning commission seat that Edwards vacated after being elected to the council.

The new council decided to continue to meet the first and third Mondays of each month. Council members also named Laurie Gallian, who was first elected in 2008, as the vice mayor.