El Cerrito makes history with first openly gay council majority in Bay Area

EL CERRITO, Calif. - History will be made in the city of El Cerrito this week with the swearing in of two new LGBTQ+ councilmembers.

Councilmembers Rebecca Saltzman and William Ktsanes will join two other openly gay councilmembers, Gabe Quinto and Carolyn Wysinger. 

They'll make up the first "out" council majority in the Bay Area and only the third in California, according to Saltzman, who sent out a news release about the milestone.

Saltzman noted that the fifth councilmember, Lisa Motoyama, is a "straight ally." 

Judge Vicky Kolakowski, the first transgender Superior Court Judge in the country, will conduct the ceremony. 

The swearing-in ceremony will take place on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at City Hall.