Beloved Mayor Feted by Grateful City, Flash Mob Begs “Won’t You Stay A Little Bit Longer?”

Saturday’s public celebration honoring Mayor Bill Bogaard for his 16 years of dedicated service saw hundreds turn out in light rain at City Hall to mob the Mayor in what was clearly a heartfelt show of gratitude to a man well-respected and beloved.

Hundreds took the opportunity before the ceremony in the rotunda to thank the Mayor personally and shake his hand. Civic leaders, government officials, and local residents stood in a long reception line to share memories and chatted briefly with Mayor Bogaard in a nook set up with a homey armchair and lamp.

Mayor Bogaard retires as the City’s top elected official on May 4, 2015, when the new mayor is officially sworn in. He became Pasadena’s first citywide-elected Mayor in 1999, having served four consecutive, four-year terms.

Food, refreshment and music was served up, with a photo series in the hallway showing moments through Mayor Bogaard’s term.

The light-hearted atmosphere turned laudatory at the concluding program. Mayor  and Claire Bogaard stood with their children and grandchildren — most of whom do not live locally and had flown in from as far away as Spain — to hear City Manager Michael Beck call Bogaard Pasadena’s “eternal” Mayor and say that Mayor Bogaard is regarded by many political observers to be the quintessential small city American Mayor.

A poignant presentation of seven trees was made to Mayor Bogaard representing each City Council District. The trees, sponsored by donations, will be planted at Brookside, Jefferson, Robinson, Gwinn, Villa, Singer and Sidney F. Tyler parks in Mayor Bogaard’s honor.

Bogaard was presented with a special box with letters, notes and pictures dropped off by residents and assembled by the Pasadena Public Library called “Moments With Bill.” A special Facebook page has been established at www.facebook.com/momentswithbill.

Bogaard himself spoke briefly, and reflectively.

He was followed by a “spontaneous” singing and dancing “flash mob” belting out “Stay,” the 1953 Maurice Williams classic that plaintively asks “Oh, won’t you stay / Just a little bit longer? / Please, please, please /Say you will, say you will.”