Mayor Jay Barber and Councilor Dana Phillips were honored at Monday’s Seaside City Council meeting, each recognized for more than a decade of service.

Seaside has always been the example to follow among North Coast cities, Councilor Tom Horning said.

“You communicate well, you hold us in check, you inspire us, and Dana, you’ve been part of it as well,” Horning said. “I think that it’s the interaction between the personalities of the council that helps to make that light burn brighter so that everyone up and down the coast can see where to go and look for good examples.”

Phillips represented Wards 3 and 4 and served on the council since 2010. She also held roles on the budget committee, convention center commission, the community center commission and announced her decision to retire in August.

Phillips is also a former president of the Seaside Chamber of Commerce, with decades of volunteerism and promoting education. She was elected to the council in 2010, 2014 and 2018.

As council representative to the community center commission, she was a “spark plug” in bringing renovations to the Bob Chisholm Community Center, Barber said in presenting her a citation for outstanding citizenship.

“My fellow councilors, it has been a pleasure to work with each and every one of you,” Phillips said. “It’s been fun to fight and argue, but we always come together for the betterment of this community.”

She extended a welcome to Seth Morrisey, who will succeed her on the council in Wards 3 and 4.

A retired college president, foundation director, ordained minister and two-term mayor of Red Bluff, California, Barber and his wife have lived full-time in Seaside since 2006. He was selected in 2009 to fill the unexpired council term of Gary Diebolt.

Barber won election for Ward 1 in 2010 and again in 2014. Barber was appointed mayor in January 2017 to fill the remaining term of Don Larson. Barber was elected in 2018, winning a challenge from John Chapman.

Barber listed what he considered milestones in his career: hiring of a code enforcement officer to address the growing number of vacation rentals in the community, the renovation of Holladay Drive paving and the $15 million renovation of the Seaside Civic and Convention Center.

During the pandemic, he said, Seaside provided more than $1.2 million to assist businesses and homeowners during the shutdown.

“We were the only North Coast city that was able to make these grants because of the good fiscal management and reserves that the city had,” Barber said.

The work “never stops,” he said, with future priorities of a permanent homeless campsite and options for moving into transitional housing for all those who desire to do so. He also hopes to see annexation and improvements to land at the south entrance of Seaside.

Mayor-elect Steve Wright described Barber as a compassionate, considerate and thoughtful leader.

“He has definitely been a mentor to me,” Wright said. “It’s going to be very different without you here. I followed in your footsteps from Ward 1 and we’re just so thankful for your service. We know that you’re not going away. I expect to see you back out in the audience.”

Councilor David Posalski said the council would miss working with Barber and Phillips.

“We’re going to miss you,” Posalski said. “The working group of this council working together as it sits now has been so productive. It’s always for the new people coming in as well as the ones who are still left. It will be a new chapter. And I look forward to it with a bit of trepidation.”

Councilor Tita Montero said she appreciated Barber’s positivity and thoughtfulness. “I appreciate that you’ve been available,” she said. “You’ve been a good listener and a planner, and the city is better for both of you.”

During each meeting as mayor, Barber shared a quote to close the meeting, and his last meeting was no different.

“I shared over the last six years 144 quotes with you,” Barber said. “Most of them are not original to me, like this last one: ‘It’s not enough to be an enthusiastic starter. You have to be an optimistic finisher.’ And I want you to know I could not be more optimistic about the future of Seaside with this council and our new members coming in, our new city manager and our wonderful team.”