Sister of Late Councilmember Kennedy to Address Council on Monday

Fallen Councilmember John Kennedy’s sister Lena Kennedy will address the City Council on Monday.

John J. Kennedy died on July 21. A public celebration of Kennedy’s life is scheduled for Sept. 30 in front of City Hall.

Last week, Kennedy’s nephews Chris Morey and Jonathan Kennedy opened the meeting by leading the council in the pledge of allegiance at Monday’s City Council meeting.

Councilmembers honored Kennedy for his dedication to the city and his unyielding fight for equality for all residents of Pasadena. 

“It’s really hard to know I am going to miss a brother and a family member,” Councilmember Tyron Hampton said. “John was all about Pasadena. Wherever he went, he made Pasadena look well. I am really going to miss him.”

Kennedy’s photo along with flowers were placed at his seat at the dais. The City Council adjourned in his honor at the end of the meeting.

Kennedy was re-elected to another four year term in June. 

The City Council has already begun the process to appoint a new representative in District 3. According to the City’s Charter, the City Council has 75 days to appoint a new District 3 Councilmember, which means the appointee must be in place by early October. 

That appointed Councilmember will serve out the remainder of Kennedy’s term which ends in December.

It is not known if the City Council will have to vote a second time cover Kennedy’s reelection. 

According to the City Charter, the appointee will serve until the next General Municipal Election in 2024.

First elected in 2013, Councilmember Kennedy proudly and tirelessly served Pasadena’s District 3. During his tenure on City Council, he chaired the Public Safety Committee, served on the Finance Committee, and was one of three City representatives to the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority. He served on a variety of local boards — including the Community Health Alliance of Pasadena, the Pasadena Police Foundation, and the Toni Bradley Legacy Foundation at UCLA. He served on the University of Notre Dame, School of Architecture’s Commission on Equity. Diversity & Inclusion. He was an ardent supporter of affordable housing, livable wages, and local hiring. 

In 2014, Pasadena’s Mayor asked Councilmember Kennedy to lead a Sister Cities delegation to China and Taiwan on his behalf. Such an assignment was familiar and welcomed as Council member Kennedy had been a People-to-People Student Ambassador to several cities in Europe and participated in goodwill missions to a number of countries in Africa. Several years ago, he led a delegation from Pasadena to Dakar-Plateau. Senegal, which is now Pasadena’s newest Sister City.