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Politics & Government

Ward and Cohen Say Farewells, Howorth and Lesser Sworn In

Outgoing councilmembers address Council Chambers for the last time and make room for new members.

Tuesday night's City Council meeting was awash in laughs, applause and heartfelt speeches.

The collective 12 years of service between Mitch Ward and Portia Cohen who each served as mayor and council member came to a close. Current council members, past mayors and city staff commended both for their long-term contributions; Ward as the eloquent speaker championing civil causes and Cohen the driving force behind Manhattan Beach's cost-effective green initiatives. 

"Portia was the heart of this council," said Mayor Pro Tem Nick Tell. "[Mitch Ward was] our conscience."

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This set the stage for new council members David Lesser and Amy Howorth to be sworn into City Council. In their inaugural speeches, Howorth stressed how her family has always nurtured a passion for community service. Lesser reiterated plans to donate his entire council salary to charity. 

Patch is offering excerpts of several speeches, accessible in six individual clips. 

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