A full City Council chamber echoed repeatedly with laughter and applause Monday night as a largely ceremonial council meeting turned into a celebration of the city's progress, community spirit and dedication of particular individuals.

"There may be more people here than we've ever had before," outgoing Mayor Janet Abelson told the audience at the beginning of the meeting.

The meeting featured several events, including the seating of the two councilmembers elected last month — newcomer Rebecca Benassini and incumbent Janet Abelson, who began her fourth term and at the same time passed the rotating mayor's gavel to Councilwoman Ann Cheng, who thereby became the first Asian American mayor in the city's 93-year history.

Stirring tributes from audience members and fellow councilmembers, as well as the night's only standing applause, were offered to outgoing Councilwoman Sandi Potter, who did not seek reelection after two four-year terms.

Abelson cited Potter's long years of public service in the city, beginning with her position on the Redevelopment Advisory Committee in 1995 and seat on the Planning Commission the following year. Abelson thanked Potter for several contributions, including being "a real team player," expertise on state environmental standards, making a "positive, significant difference" and serving as "the social director of the council."

Councilman Bill Jones paid fond tribute to Potter's character, ability to find solutions, preparation, environmental expertise and work as council liaison to the city's Arts and Culture Commission. And he elicited hearty laughter with his description of what it's like to work side by side with Potter, saying he could tell when she disagreed with something because of the barely audible "urnh urnh" sound she made, similar to the noise produced when a car ignition is turned on but doesn't engage the engine.

Potter — an engineering geologist, artist and active member of the Parent, Teacher, Student Association in El Cerrito schools — described El Cerrito as "a community that is positive about local government."

"I'm really, really grateful for our community," she said. She expressed gratitude and appreciation also to many individuals for extraordinary service, beginning with City Manager Scott Hanin.

As for her future plans, she closed by saying, "I look forward to spending more time with my art and with youth sports at El Cerrito High School."

Another star of the evening was the city's first police dog, a two-year-old German shepherd listed officially "K-9 Officer King." Accompanied by his handler, Officer Aaron Leone, King was there for his official badge-pinning ceremony, though he seemed somewhat blasé about the honor until police Chief Sylvia Moir pulled out a doggie "donut," a rubber chew-toy resembling a donut with chocolate icing, that King immediately began to gnaw on with great relish.

A memorable moment of more solemn note came after the council uananimously approved a proclamation declaring next Jan. 30 Fred Korematsu Day, in honor of the late East Bay Japanese-American resident who defied the U.S. government relocation of people of Japanese ancestry from the West Coast during World War II. Korematsu was convicted, and later the conviction was vacated. He received the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, from President Bill Clinton in 1988.

Korematsu's daughter, Karen Korematsu, thanked the council, adding, "It is heartwarming to have this tribute in honor of my father. My father focused on telling his story of the fight for justice." She also expressed appreciation to Tom Panas, a director of the El Cerrito Historical Society, for his work on the proclamation and on documenting the history of Japanese Americans in El Cerrito.

She closed with a quote from her father: "When you see something wrong, don't be afraid to speak out."

After the meeting adjourned, city officials and members of the audience mingled at a reception in the City Hall lobby that included a large cake, wine, sushi, spring rolls, pot stickers and custard tarts.