Despite a rainy and early morning, dozens of South Pasadena community members turned out to Jones Coffee Roasters on Jan. 25 to get a chance to sit down and talk about city matters with newly appointed Mayor Evelyn Zneimer.
Squeezed into the corner section of the small coffee shop, Zneimer greeted locals and listened to residents’ concerns at the first public outreach event since being unanimously voted in as mayor in December.
Deputy City Manager Domenica Megerdichian said the city plans to host more outreach events such as the one at the coffee shop, which will likely occur every month with a certain theme to go along with a mayoral discourse.
Pam Jones, a 65-year South Pasadena resident, was one of the many community members who showed up to the event to meet the new mayor. Jones said she was “so pleased” to see Mayor Zneimer in-person.
Jones — no relation to the coffee — had seen the mayor at countless City Council meetings and wanted to stop by and meet her in person. Jones greeted the mayor and left with a chocolate croissant, courtesy of the city.
“I get a good feeling when I see her name and picture, so I thought I’d come out and say ‘hi,’” Jones said.
Several city officials were also mingling throughout the café, including Mayor Pro Tem Jack Donovan, City Manager Arminé Chaparyan, Community Services Director Sheila Pautsch and Director of Public Works Ted Gerber.
First published in the February 2 print issue of the South Pasadena Review.
