Dan Rydalch probably didn’t see this coming. The Stockton mayor must have felt supremely confident in his authority and his prospects for re-election when he suspended Cpl. Josh Rowell on Oct. 20 for issuing a ticket to Rydalch’s son for driving without a license. He must have felt flush with power when he drove down to the checkpoint where Rowell was working and fired him verbally on the spot — a termination that was just as hastily revised to a suspension pending an “investigation” by Rydalch himself. He must have felt more like the king of Stockton than merely its mayor.

By last Thursday evening, however, it was apparent the king was due to be deposed. More than 100 Stockton residents packed the town’s fire station to see Rowell reinstated and Rydalch censured in the harshest possible terms by the Stockton Town Council.

Unfortunately, Rydalch himself missed the Thursday meeting, choosing instead to leave the council with a prepared statement defending his actions. That was not only cowardly but a complete abdication of his duties as mayor.

The Rydalch scandal provides a cautionary tale that all politicians would do well to heed.

The first take-away lesson is this: You are servants, not lords. You serve at the pleasure of the public, and the only authority you really have is the authority to take actions that serve our collective interests.

The second lesson: Even that authority, which we give you, has prescribed limits. You must operate within the law and proper procedures. You must represent us with dignity, remembering that we have lent you our voice to speak with. You must be careful with our money, spending it only for the collective good, not for your own pet projects. And you must strive to be ethical and transparent, never forgetting that we have the right to know what you’re doing in our name.

The third lesson: If you fail to abide by the limits above, we will replace you — sometimes via elections, sometimes via more direct forms of intervention, such impeachment, recall or a no-confidence vote.

As a new slate of political leaders celebrate victory in yesterday’s election and prepare to take office, they would do well to remember the cautionary tale of Dan Rydalch. The pride of winning should be quickly subsumed by humility for the public trust they have been given.

Remember, you are servants, not lords.