Each year, the Redding City Council reorganizes to appoint a new mayor, vice mayor and mayor pro tem.
During public comment, seven citizens voiced support for Mark Mezzano as mayor. He had been serving as vice mayor, and the city council has historically promoted the vice mayor to the city's top spot.
"There are some unwritten rules that usually the vice mayor goes to be mayor, and the mayor pro tem goes to be vice mayor, and then a new person is elected as mayor pro tem. It doesn't have to be that way. It can be whatever three people or four people or five people on the council want to do," said then-Mayor Michael Dacquisto, whose title changed to city councilor this week.
Instead of following this standard, the council voted 3-2 to choose Tenessa Audette, who had been serving as mayor pro tem, as mayor and Julie Winter as vice mayor.
Dacquisto said the decision was made because of the members’ connection to the church.
"Mr. Mezzano has spent four years, he's earned it, he's worked harder than any other council member that I've seen during this time. And to do otherwise and make Ms. Audette mayor is just, pardon my French, bulls**t," he said. "It’s giving the finger to the 20,000 people that voted for Mr. Mezzano and saying to them, ‘We don’t care. We’re going to do what we’re going to do because we’re the Bethel juggernaut,’ and it’s wrong."
Bethel Church is a powerful religious group in the region. It has thousands of members, a Christian music label and a streaming service where viewers can watch sermons and worship services. Three of the five city councilors currently have connections to the Redding-based church, including Audette, who teaches at the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry, and Winter, who serves on the church's board of elders.
"I would just like to say, I really really resent the mayor saying, our former mayor anyways, saying this has anything to do with Bethel, my church, my religion. This has nothing to do with Bethel," Winter said.
The meeting drew raucous audience response, ranging from cheers and applause to boos. One audience member shouted, "Give a reason why you would pick her [Audette] as mayor!"
Audette runs a business offering campaign management and consulting services. She was elected to the Redding City Council in November 2022. She is also currently running for Assembly District 1.
“I have had the privilege of knowing Tenessa for about 13 years. I have witnessed her passion for family, for the Lord and her passion for the city of Redding and its people. Tenessa is a dedicated worker who strives to solve problems and make Redding a better place to live, that’s why I believe Tenessa will be a very effective Mayor,” Councilor Jack Munns said in a press release that Audette's campaign sent out after the meeting.
No mayor pro tem was chosen, so that decision will be made at a future meeting.
