Nascimento leaves Turlock City Council with praise, standing ovation

The bitterness of a hard-fought political battle for City Council was absent Tuesday as a packed and festive crowd said “goodbye” to Steven Nascimento and “thanks for staying” to Amy Bublak.

Bublak, first elected eight years ago, edged Nascimento by 33 votes in the first test of Turlock’s new voting system of selecting council members by neighborhood instead of across the entire city.

She retook the oath of office, joined by new Councilman Gil Esquer, in a dignified ceremony after an emotional farewell to Nascimento, who had served four years and at times stood alone against Mayor Gary Soiseth and the council majority.

“I found his devotion to this city and to this body to be without equal,” said fellow Councilman Bill DeHart. He called Nascimento’s “perspectives unique, necessary and important.”

A year ago, Nascimento – the only sitting council member living in District 4, Turlock’s northwest quadrant – was considered its heir apparent, and Bublak would have had to wait two years before challenging DeHart. Instead, Bublak in January moved into District 4 and challenged Nascimento.

They had crossed swords over the two most prickly issues in recent times: the farmers market flap and campaign finance reform.

Nascimento, 31, sided with the nonprofit organization that had managed a city-sanctioned farmers market for five years, while Bublak, 51, and the council majority backed the for-profit opponent. Later, Bublak and the council majority rejected mandatory campaign donation limits as supported by Nascimento, opting instead for voluntary limits.

The close election result – amounting to a difference of 0.56 percent – was seen as more evidence of a polarized community that had waited four tense weeks for Stanislaus County elections officials to finish counting votes.

On Tuesday, Nascimento accepted a couple of plaques – one presented by Soiseth – and addressed the council for the last time. He gave credit to city employees for Turlock’s success, “in spite of what we do up here on the dais,” and did not mention the council, except for these closing words: “You guys work for me now,” he said as the room erupted in laughter, applause and a standing ovation.

Bublak captured 47.7 percent of the November vote, to Nascimento’s 47.1 percent. A third candidate, Donald Babadalir, received 5.1 percent.

Bublak’s campaign had raised $44,252, to Nascimento’s $30,978.

In addition to the standard swearing-in, Bublak and Esquer took a “special oath” administered by Stanislaus Superior Court Judge Ruben Villalobos, who called it “a promise to go above and beyond. Frankly, I think all cities should follow the model of Turlock in this regard.” Returning city Treasurer Diana Lewis joined them.

The special oath calls for exemplary personal conduct, honesty and “courage and calm in the face of scorn and ridicule.” The officeholders also pledged to “never let (their) personal feelings, animosities or friendships influence (their) decisions.”

This story was originally published December 13, 2016 at 8:23 PM with the headline "Nascimento leaves Turlock City Council with praise, standing ovation."