Outgoing Pasadena Mayor Terry Tornek Reflects on Term

Pasadena Mayor Terry Tornek says he is disappointed that he will no longer lead the city, but still hopes to finish some important work in his final three weeks in office before the mayorship is taken over by Councilman Victor Gordo, who emerged the winner of Tuesday’s election.

Gordo currently leads Tornek 32,879-27,426.

Gordo will formally become mayor on Dec. 7, city officials said. The City Council has 75 days to appoint a replacement to take over as council member for District 5.

Tornek was the city’s second elected mayor in modern times. He succeeded Mayor Bill Bogaard after Bogaard decided not to seek a fifth term.

“I felt it was a real privilege to serve as mayor,” Tornek said. “I think I was able to make a real contribution and I was hopeful that I’d be able to continue, because I have some things that  I was particularly anxious to move ahead. And now I won’t have a role in that.”

“So it’s a disappointment, but that’s the nature of the process,” he said.

But he was still able to view the situation with a shade of humor.

“Unlike what’s happening on the national scale, I’m not going to be filing any litigation,” he quipped.

“I wish [Gordo] well, and I certainly wish him every success,” Tornek said.

Looking back on the past four years, Tornek said there were several accomplishments he was proud to have played a major role in.

“I’m proud of the fact that I helped to put the city on a firm financial footing. ‘m proud of having launched a new effort to focus attention on the Arroyo Seco. I’m proud of my role in the defeat of the 710 Freeway. I’m proud of the record we’ve amassed in terms of trying to deal with affordable housing and reducing the homeless population,” he said.

“None of these things are exclusively mine… but these are things that I worked hard on,” Tornek said.

Championing Measure I and Measure J, as well as setting the city’s minimum wage at $15 per hour, were also among the actions he is proud to leave behind as part of his legacy, he said.

“One of the things I will miss is getting into the classrooms every couple of weeks and talking to the kids, because they always like to meet the mayor,” Tornek said.

In the months to come, Tornek said he is looking forward to new opportunities and time with his family.

“I’m blessed,” he said. “I’ve got a wife that I’ve been married to for 53 years. I’ve got seven grandchildren who are happy to have me in their lives.”

In the meantime, however, there are still three City Council meetings before the mayorship formally changes hands.

“I’ve got some things I’ve got to work on before I am officially to be relieved of my duties on December 7th. We’re going to have some full agendas for the next three council meetings,” Tornek said.

“The business of the city goes on,” he added. “We’re still confronted with the same things we were confronted with the day before the election. We still have a pandemic and we have important financial decisions that need to be made. We have the Police Oversight Commission, which I’m hoping we can reach a conclusion about how that commission gets appointed so we don’t lose momentum there,” he said. “We have some housing issues and homeless issues.”

“And then, my family and I will decide what the next next chapter looks like,” Tornek said.

“I think, for the most part, I can say with confidence that I’ve made a positive contribution to the city,” he said. “And that’s really all I could hope for: That I left it in better shape than I found it.”