City of University Place announcement.
Before conducting regular business at its Dec. 6 meeting, the U.P. City Council took a few minutes to offer its gratitude to former City Council members for their contributions, capped by a moving video tribute to three who passed away in 2021: Lorna Smith, Gerald Gehring and Ken Grassi.
Mayor Caroline Belleci began with a proclamation and words of thanks to Howard Lee, who volunteered to step up and serve the remainder of Council Member Ken Grassi’s term when he became ill. Lee thanked his fellow Council members for their support and encouragement during his tenure and said it was both an honor and a challenge to ensure that Council Member Grassi’s vision would be fulfilled. “When I took the assignment, I knew it was going to be daunting because I knew I could not fill Council Member Grassi’s shoes,” he said. “But thank you for letting me serve.”
The Mayor then presented the Grassi family with a formal proclamation to acknowledge the countless contributions Ken Grassi made to the City of University Place since its incorporation in 1996. “Ken contributed so much to this community,” Belleci said, her voice cracking with emotion. “I hold him dearly in my heart and can’t look at daffodils the same way again: I think of Ken every time I see them. He will be missed but never forgotten.”
The tributes then concluded with a showing of a special In Memoriam video for the former Council Members Smith, Gehring and Grassi. Filled with images of the three city leaders and memories from their fellow Council members, the video is a tribute to these dedicated public servants who literally donated thousands of hours of their time and talents to better the lives of all those who live and work in University Place.
