There was standing room only in the Encinitas City Council Chambers on Tuesday night for the special council meeting to swear in first-ever Mayor-Elect Kristin Gaspar and Councilwoman Catherine Blakespear, who will replace Teresa Barth on the council.

Family, friends and residents of Encinitas crowded the chambers to congratulate both women on their positions and say farewell to Barth.

The results of the Nov. 4 General Municipal Election were read during the meeting and with 20,299 ballots cast, the two women were chosen for the council positions. The results also showed that Proposition F, the medical marijuana dispensaries proposition, failed to pass.

Deputy Mayor Tony Kranz congratulated both women on their success in the election.

“I look forward to a great two years of service, and we’ll see what happens beyond that,” Kranz said.

Barth, along with the City Council, voted to adopt the resolution of the general election results as her last action as councilwoman.

“Catherine, good luck, and Mayor Gaspar, congratulations,” Barth said. “I know you all will continue on in the traditions that we’ve started, so thank you.”

Barth received a standing ovation from the audience and left the chambers shortly after. She was given placards, leis and paintings earlier during the council meeting as well as a proclamation that named Dec. 9 Teresa Barth Day throughout the county.

Gaspar and Blakespear were then sworn into their council positions, one after the other, joined by their families.

“Wow, that seems scary,” Gaspar joked, referring to the formalized language of swearing in.

With the new two-year elected mayorship, Gaspar said she will work to continue the fiscal discipline of the city, and maintain the parks, beaches and city infrastructure. She also said she wants to keep the roads of Encinitas in good condition and said maintaining “top notch” public safety was a big priority.

Blakespear, who is a newcomer to the council after serving as a traffic commissioner for the city for nearly four years, said she is excited to represent the people of Encinitas.

“This is the most important work I could do,” Blakespear said. “It’s the most meaningful … and that’s what we all hope for in life.”

Gaspar recommended Blakespear to the council when it came time to appoint a new deputy mayor, citing her own previous position as the deputy mayor during her initial election to the council as a positive experience for her.

“When I was first elected to office in 2010, it was under similar circumstances; I had a young family and I was concerned about the time commitment involved and looking very much forward to it,” Gaspar said. “I was selected as a deputy mayor that first day that I took the oath into office and I think it was a great way to get your feet wet. … I think it’s very important that you’re out and about in the community a lot when your first elected into office.”

The council voted unanimously in support of the recommendation.

Camille Lozano is a San Diego freelance writer