The Quan Era Begins

New Oakland Mayor Jean Quan held an open house Monday night as the closing ceremonial event of her Inauguration Day. It was a great symbolic moment, with the mayor literally opening up City Hall and her own office to the people. Oaklanders waited in line to shake Quan's hand and pose for a photo inside her office.

Visitors passed through the Mayor's Conference Room and, well, there it was hanging on the wall: A huge streetlamp sign that Oakland officials created nearly 10 years ago in support of the A's and they often hung the signs all throughout downtown during the Art Howe era. The huge green-gold-and-white sign reads: "Oakland Celebrates A's." The slogan may be awkwardly worded but the message is perfectly straightforward. So was Quan's signal and tone to MLB, conveying how important it is to her to keep the A's in Oakland, when she called them the day after she was elected mayor in November. And the symbolism intended by Quan by hanging it in her main City Hall meeting room for the next four years is unmistakable.

Here’s what Quan wrote about the A’s banner in her two-page written greeting that every visitor received: "…I found the A's banner in a file cabinet and thought it was good inspiration for one of the major tasks ahead. Many of the groups meeting with the mayor are invited to this room."

At her last City Council meeting as an Oakland councilmember, Quan voted on Dec. 21 to approve the EIR contract for Victory Court. Just before she cast her vote, Quan noted that she was buying Oaklandish’s "StAy" T-shirts as Christmas gifts for all her family members. It’s great to see the mayor is fully behind keeping the A's in Oakland and is a strong supporter of the Victory Court ballpark site near Jack London Square.

"We are all family because we all love this city," Quan said at her inauguration.

The mayor added: "My story is just one of the stories of Oakland. Together, we're going to create an epic story of a great city."

We couldn’t agree more, Mayor Quan. Congratulations.