Mill Valley Councilmember Steps Down

MILL VALLEY, CA — A Mill Valley City Council member is stepping down.

Sashi Sabaratnam resigned from the council effective this week, citing a recent divorce that is prompting a move north to Sonoma County.

Sabaratnam was first elected to the City Council in 2015 and was re-elected in 2020.

She said at Monday's council meeting that the move out of Mill Valley means she can no longer serve the remainder of her term, which ends in 2024.

“After 22 years in Mill Valley, raising my daughters and owning a business here, my roots and commitment to this community run deep,” Sabaratnam said in a statement.

“I am sincerely honored and thankful for the opportunity to serve this community in the role of Mayor, Councilmember, and as a representative on many boards and commissions. The people of this community are what make it so special, and I am really proud of the work that we have accomplished together.”

During her City Council tenure Sabaratnam oversaw several citywide achievements, including the recruitment and appointment of two city managers, navigating the city’s COVID-19 response, and adopting two, two-year city budgets and five-year capital improvement programs.

Her move will bring her closer to her job, which is University of California Cooperative Extension wildfire vegetation mitigation program manager for Sonoma County, she said.

Other members of the council touted the work ethic of Sabaratnam, who served as mayor in 2020 and 2021, in helping improve the city.

“I want to acknowledge Sashi’s many years of service to Mill Valley,” Mayor Jim Wickham said.

“She has guided the City through many important transitions and demonstrated courageous leadership in the face of unprecedented challenges in her year as Mayor. Through it all, she exemplified the best quality of Mill Valley and our Council - our ability to appreciate and challenge each other’s diverse viewpoints while maintaining civility, collegiality and respect above all.”

The council will discuss the next steps on filling her vacancy at its Sept. 6 meeting.

A Staff Report outlining the options will be available ahead of the meeting for community information. When available, it will be posted here.

— Bay City News contributed to this report