Bruce Okrepkie chosen to continue as Windsor mayor

Bruce Okrepkie, the mayor of Windsor, has been reappointed to another term, breaking the tradition of Town Council members’ rotating the position annually.

Okrepkie was chosen Wednesday night by his colleagues on a 3-1 vote to again represent Windsor as mayor. The selection came after two veteran council members stepped down to make way for a pair of newcomers.

“It’s pretty gratifying,” Okrepkie said Thursday of his service as mayor. “We’re doing so many good things. It’s very positive.”

The mayor represents the town at ceremonial and service club events, runs council meetings and sometimes serves as the official voice for comment on issues or projects.

The position carries a stipend of $500 annually, beyond the $300 monthly payment all council members receive.

Mark Millan and Dominic Foppoli, the two incoming council members elected last month, voted for Okrepkie.

Millan said it was important for there to be continuity and consistency in the mayoral post, particularly as the town continues discussions with the Lytton Band of Pomo Indians, who are planning a housing project on the edge of town and seeking to hook up to Windsor utilities. Okrepkie has represented the town at some of the meetings with the tribe’s attorney.

Millan was chosen to be vice mayor Wednesday.

The realignment of the Town Council resulted when longtime council members Steve Allen and Robin Goble decided not to run for re-election. Allen served 16 years and Goble was in office for eight years. Both said they chose not to seek re-election essentially to allow new faces and energy on the council.

The Town Council still includes some seasoned veterans, including Sam Salmon who has been in office for 20 years. He was recently re-elected to an unprecedented sixth term, making him the longest-?serving current council member in any of Sonoma County’s nine cities.

Deb Fudge is close behind with 18 years on the council. Last month, she lost her third straight bid to be elected 4th District Sonoma County supervisor, with her opponent James Gore cruising to a comfortable victory.

Fudge said she will not seek re-election to the Town Council when her term ends in two years.

Prior to the election, she was snubbed by a majority of her fellow council members - Allen, Goble and Okrepkie - who chose to endorse Gore, a former Obama administration official.

But if there were any obvious hard feelings, they haven’t surfaced in council discussions.

Fudge was the only one to cast a vote against Okrepkie as mayor, but she said it was because she wanted to have Salmon be mayor and have Windsor get back to a regular rotation for the post.

“It’s no disrespect for Bruce,” she said.

Salmon didn’t vote, after it became apparent Okrepkie had a majority to continue as mayor.

Salmon and Fudge both nominated each other to be vice mayor, but neither motion was voted on.

Instead, the same 3-1 vote for Okrepkie was cast for Millan to be vice mayor, meaning that with a traditional rotation he would be in line to be mayor in 2016.

You can reach Staff Writer Clark Mason at 521-5214 or clark.mason@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter@clarkmas.