Tag: mayor

BEVERLY HILLS—The city of Beverly Hills announced that on Tuesday, April 1, it will hold its Installation Ceremony for Mayor Sharona R. Nazarian and Vice Mayors John A. Mirisch and Craig A. Corman for the public to attend.

The event will take place at 7 p.m. at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts located at 9390 North Santa Monica Blvd. There will be complimentary parking at the 450 North Crescent Dr. parking structure and Rexford/Civic Center structure.

Doors open to the public at 6:30 p.m. and there will be a reception to follow the ceremony. Also in attendance at the ceremony will be City Councilmembers Lester Friedman and Mary N. Wells.

Citizens of Beverly Hills elect five City Councilmembers to serve four-year terms. From within their membership, the City Council then appoints a mayor and vice mayor, with both positions rotating each year. The mayor acts as the presiding officer at meetings and the Council’s ceremonial representative at public events.

The Beverly Hills City Council is responsible for establishing policies, adopting an annual budget, enacting local laws, and providing vision and goals to the city manager.

By Trevor

WEST HOLLYWOOD—On Wednesday, December 17, the city of West Hollywood announced that Chelsea Lee Byers will become the next mayor for the city.

During the regular meeting of the West Hollywood City Council on Monday, December 16, John M. Erickson and Danny Hang were sworn-in to new terms on the West Hollywood City Council. Erickson’s oath of office was administered by Brian Sonia-Wallace and Hang’s oath of office was administered by former Mayor and Councilmember John D’Amico.

City Councilmembers serve for a term of four years and are elected at large. Erickson, who serves as the city’s current Mayor, was first elected to the West Hollywood City Council on November 3, 2020.

Hang was elected to the West Hollywood City Council on November 5, 2024. His legislative priorities include getting unhoused neighbors off the streets and into housing with supportive services; building more affordable housing while protecting and expanding renters’ rights; protecting workers and marginalized groups; uplifting local businesses; and creating a safer and healthier West Hollywood community.

The West Hollywood City Council nominated and elected Chelsea Lee Byers to serve as the city’s next Mayor and John Heilman to serve as Vice Mayor. The WeHo City Council selects Councilmembers each year to serve as Mayor and Vice Mayor; these positions rotate annually among the Councilmembers.

Incoming Mayor Byers and Incoming Vice Mayor Heilman will be sworn-in to their new roles at the upcoming annual City Council Reorganization and Installation meeting and oath of office ceremony, which will take place on Monday, January 13, 2025 at 6 p.m. at the City’s Council Chambers/Public Meeting Room, located at 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard.

A reception will immediately follow at the adjacent West Hollywood Park Aquatic and Recreation Center Respite Deck. The meeting, ceremony, and reception are free and open to the public. Limited validated parking will be available at the West Hollywood Park five-story structure.

Byers was elected to the City Council in November 2022. Her priorities include social service delivery, climate-change mitigation strategies, and emergency resiliency efforts; creating more affordable housing and resources for renters; enhancing the streetscape for improved pedestrian and cycling experiences while reducing vehicle-dependency; and community building and policy implementation to ensure an inclusive community for all.

Heilman was active in the incorporation of West Hollywood. He was elected to the City’s first City Council in November 1984 and he was chosen as the City’s second Mayor in 1985. After having served several terms, he was re-elected to the City Council in November 2022.

For additional information about West Hollywood’s City Councilmembers visit www.weho.org/city-government/city-council

By Trevor

SANTA MONICA—On December 11, the city of Santa Monica announced that on December 10, during an installation ceremony newly-elected Councilmembers Dan Hall, Ellis Raskin, Barry Snell and Natalya Zernitskaya were sworn in by City Clerk Nikima Newsome to begin four-year terms.

The newly installed Santa Monica City Council selected Lana Negrete to serve as mayor for a one-year term, with Caroline Torosis serving as mayor pro tem for 2025 and Jesse Zwick for 2026. Negrete was appointed to the City Council in 2021 and elected in 2022. Torosis and Zwick were elected in 2022.

Negrete was born and raised in Santa Monica and is the owner of the Santa Monica Music Center and Culver City Music Center. She founded Outreach Through the Arts and is an elected Board member of the National Association of Music Merchants.

“I am overwhelmed with gratitude and a deep sense of responsibility,” said Negrete. “I was born and raised in Santa Monica and as a small business owner, I understand the unique challenges that we face. I’m committed to fostering an environment where businesses can thrive and families can flourish and it is truly an honor to serve as mayor.”

Tuesday’s installation ceremony follows Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean C. Logan’s certification of the final results for the 2024 General Election on December 3.

The Santa Monica City Council certified the results for the races for Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board, the Santa Monica Rent Control Board and local ballot measures:

-Measure F — updates the city’s business license tax ordinance to improve tax equity and fairness by exempting small businesses from the tax, decreasing tax rates for most retailers and restaurants, raising the corporate headquarters rate, removing auto dealer tax exemptions, and restoring a business license processing fee. The changes are anticipated to generate approximately $3 million annually to fund essential city services such as 911 emergency response, public safety, and addressing homelessness

-Measure K — increases the city’s Parking Facility Tax from 10 percent to 18 percent. The tax applies only to private parking structures and lots and is anticipated to generate about $6.7 million annually to reduce traffic congestion and the risk of traffic fatalities and serious injuries in Santa Monica (see Measure PSK below).

-Measure PSK ― an advisory measure that directs the city to allocate at least half of the revenue from Measure K toward addressing public safety and homelessness.

At Tuesday’s ceremony, Newsome administered the oath of office for elected School Board Members Jennifer Smith, Jon Kean and Maria Leon-Vazquez, along with Rent Control Board Members Kay Ambriz and Phillis Dudick.

Community members, regional elected leaders and council colleagues recognized outgoing Mayor Phil Brock and outgoing Councilmembers Gleam Davis, Oscar de la Torre, and Christine Parra for their contributions. Davis served on the City Council for 15 years, and Brock, de la Torre and Parra each served for 4 years.

“It has been the highlight of my life’s work to serve the residents of Santa Monica as their mayor,” said Brock. “And my work is not done. I will always champion the needs of our community and continue to uphold the beautiful spirit of Santa Monica.”

By Trevor

BEVERLY HILLS—The city of Beverly Hills announced on its website that Beverly Hills Mayor Les Friedman will host ‘Les is More: An Hour with the Mayor,’ a special talk series held at City Hall featuring guest speakers and topics.

The first event will be on Monday, June 24 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at City Hall | Municipal Gallery at 455 N Rexford Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210.

Mayor Friedman’s guest speaker will be Beverly Hills Fire Chief Greg Barton who will share highlights from the Fire Department’s unhoused and nurse practitioner program as well as how the community can continue to stay safe and diligent when it comes to protecting themselves, loved ones and their property.

Participants can join via Zoom with the link below:

Launch Meeting – Zoom

Or call in at (310) 285-1020. Individuals with questions can email LesisMore@beverlyhills.org.

By Trevor

BEVERLY HILLS—On Tuesday, April 2, the city of Beverly Hills held its ceremony for its newest Mayor, Lester J. Friedman who was sworn in.

Friedman was elected Mayor of Beverly Hills at the City Council’s reorganization meeting on Tuesday evening. He succeeds Julian A. Gold, MD who completed his third and final term on the Beverly Hills City Council. During the same ceremony, Councilmember Lili Bosse completed her third and final term. New Councilmembers Craig A. Corman and Mary N. Wells took the oath of office.

“I am deeply grateful to once again serve our community,” said Mayor Friedman. “Maintaining the safety and security of our community is a top priority, while preparing for the excitement of the 2028 Olympics and other world events will lead to some productive conversations. The year ahead will certainly be one filled with meaningful commitments that will enhance the quality of life for everyone living in and visiting Beverly Hills.”

Mayor Friedman was first elected to the BH City Council in 2017 and served as Mayor during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. He previously served on the Beverly Hills Traffic and Parking Commission from 2011 through 2017 and served as its Chair in 2015. Mayor Friedman is also an attorney. Sharona R. Nazarian, PsyD was named Vice Mayor by the BH City Council during the ceremony.

Vice Mayor Nazarian, who was first elected in 2022, previously served as a Beverly Hills Public Works Commissioner and was a past Chair of the Beverly Hills Human Relations Commission. The Mayor and Vice Mayor serve one-year terms and are selected by their City Council colleagues during the annual reorganization meeting.

By Trevor

BEVERLY HILLS—The city of Beverly Hills has announced new details for the New Mayor, Vice Mayor and City Council Installation Ceremony on Tuesday, April 2. The city of Beverly Hills posted on its website the event will be held at 7 p.m. at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts Beverly Hills.

Current Mayor Julian A. Gold, and councilmembers John A. Mirisch and Lili Bosse will be in attendance at the ceremony, where Lester J. Friedman will be sworn in as a the new Mayor of the city and Sharona R. Nazarian, PsyD will be sworn in as the new Vice Mayor.

Newly elected Beverly Hills City Councilmembers Craig A. Corman and Mary N. Wells will be sworn in during the ceremony. A total of 10 candidates ran for two open seats on the Beverly Hills City Council during the March 5, 2024, General Election.

The Wallis Annenberg Center is located at 9390 North Santa Monica Blvd. A reception is scheduled to take place after the ceremony. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and free parking will take place at the following garages: 450 N. Crescent Drive structure and the Rexford/Civic Center structure located at 450 N. Rexford Drive.

By Trevor

BEVERLY HILLS—The city of Beverly Hills announced on its website that on Tuesday, April 2, the city will hold its installation ceremony for the new Mayor, Vice Mayor and Beverly Hills City Council.

The ceremony will take place at 7 p.m. at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills.

A total of 10 candidates including 2 incumbents are vying for two open seats currently held by Mayor Julian A Gold and Lili Bosse.

Candidates vying for those two seats include: Alissa Roston, Mary Wells, Sharon Persovski, Myra Demeter, Craig Corman, Nooshin Meshkaty, Hamid Omrani, Tiffany Davis, Robin Rowe and Russell Stuart.

All candidates are responsible for filing their Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) forms on time.  The primary election to vote for Beverly Hills City Council will be held on Tuesday, March 5.

By Trevor

WEST HOLLYWOOD—On Tuesday, December 19, the city of West Hollywood announced that during the City Council meeting on Monday, December 18, the next Mayor will be John M. Erickson and Vice Mayor will be Chelsea Lee Byers. A Resolution was approved to change the title of Mayor Pro Tempore to Vice Mayor. Since Cityhood in 1984, the organization of the West Hollywood City Council has been comprised of the Mayor, Mayor Pro Tempore, and Councilmembers. Adoption of the Resolution changes the Mayor Pro Tempore title to Vice Mayor as a local preference, moving forward.

Councilmembers serve for a term of four years and are elected at large. The City Councilmembers annually select members to serve as Mayor and Vice Mayor; these positions rotate among the Councilmembers.

Incoming Mayor Erickson and Incoming Vice Mayor Byers will be sworn-in at West Hollywood’s annual City Council Reorganization and Installation meeting and oath of office ceremony, which will take place on Tuesday, January 16, 2024 at 6 p.m. at the City’s Council Chambers/Public Meeting Room, located at 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard. A reception will immediately follow at the West Hollywood Library that is open and free to the public.

The meeting and ceremony will be live-broadcast and streamed as part of the regular WeHo City Council meeting and will be available by tuning into Channel 10 on Spectrum within West Hollywood, by visiting www.weho.org/wehotv, or by visiting the City’s WeHoTV YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/wehotv. In addition, meetings can also be viewed on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, and Roku streaming platforms by searching “WeHoTV” within the search functions of these services.

John M. Erickson, current Mayor Pro Tempore, was elected to the West Hollywood City Council on November 3, 2020. In 2010, Erickson was selected to intern for the West Hollywood City Council. After leaving City Hall, he served as a Legislative Representative at LAX (Los Angeles International Airport) and is currently the Vice President of Public Affairs, Communications, and Marketing at Planned Parenthood Los Angeles.

Erickson received his Ph.D. in American Religious History from Claremont Graduate University and a Dual-Master’s Degree from Claremont Graduate University. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh with a B.A. in English and Women’s Studies.

Chelsea Lee Byers, current Councilmember, was elected to the West Hollywood City Council on November 8, 2022. She became connected to West Hollywood through the Women’s Leadership Conference leading to program partnerships with West Hollywood, including Women Manifest (2016), the Cannabis Education Forum (2015-2018), collaborative film screenings, panels, and more. While working with United Way’s Everyone In campaign, Byers engaged with City Social Services and Strategic Initiatives to bring educational programming to the community on homelessness and housing solutions. She currently works as Director of Programs and Partnership with Women’s Voices Now and is a core team member with Beautiful Trouble.

Byers studied at Universidad Internacional Cuernavaca, Franklin University Switzerland and received her B.A. in Political Science and Women’s Studies from Northern Arizona University.

For more details, contact West Hollywood’s City Council Offices at (323) 848-6460. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing call TTY (323) 848-6496.

By Trevor

MALIBU—On October 2, the city of Malibu announced that the newest Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem for the city were sworn in during the City Council meeting on September 25.

Video of the Malibu City Council changeover is available at: https://www.youtube.com/live/DOXVzRE1eXo?si=QI2mKGRJLY3X7L5l&t=2669 (clip starts at 44:29).

City Councilmember Steve Uhring was nominated by the City Council to serve as the newest Mayor and had his oath of office administered by his wife Marcia.

“I am honored to be elected by the City Council to serve as Mayor and I look forward to continuing my decades of service to the community and representing the people of Malibu in this role,” said Mayor Uhring.

Councilmember Doug Stewart was nominated to serve as Mayor Pro Tem. He was sworn in by his wife Sharon.

“I am honored to be selected by my colleagues to serve as Mayor Pro Tem and I look forward to continuing our collaborative, productive work together,” said Mayor Pro Tem Stewart. “We are all here to serve the people of Malibu.”

Councilmember Bruce Silverstein was thanked for his service to the Council and the community as Mayor and was presented with an honorary plaque.

Malibu is a general law city and operates under the council-manager form of government incorporated in 1991. The five-member City Council is elected at-large to serve four-year terms. The Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem are elected by the councilmembers. For more details visit https://www.malibucity.org/CityCouncil.

By Trevor

BEVERLY HILLS—Julian A. Gold MD was sworn into office as Mayor of Beverly Hills on Tuesday, April 4. In a speech after he was sworn in, Gold invoked President John F. Kennedy: “The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.” Gold was sworn in by longtime friend Judie Fenton, while surrounded by three generations of family members.

Gold is succeeding Lili Bosse who will still remain on the city council. 

Tuesday marked the completion of Councilmember Lili Bosse’s third term as mayor since she was first elected to the City Council in 2011. In Beverly Hills, council members vote to appoint a mayor for one-year terms on a rotating basis; the mayor serves as head of the council and as a ceremonial representative at events.

Councilmember Lester Friedman was sworn in as vice mayor, taking over that job from Gold.

Dr. Gold was elected to the Beverly Hills City Council in 2011 and has served as Mayor in 2015 and 2018. Previously, he served six years on the Beverly Hills Traffic and Parking Commission and served one year as its Chair. 

Dr. Gold is a native of New York and graduated from the NYU School of Medicine. As a Board-Certified anesthesiologist for 40 years, Dr. Gold served as Co-Chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology as Cedars-Sinai and Co-Managing Partner of the General Anesthesia Specialists Partnership Medical Group from January 1991 until April 2019. Dr. Gold previously served as a member of the Board of Directors of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

“I am incredibly honored to once again serve our community as Mayor,” said Mayor Gold.  “I am looking forward to a year that will focus on the health and well-being of everyone, putting a spotlight on those doing good through various charities and ensuring we have an even stronger infrastructure as it relates to our essential resources.”

The mayor plans to showcase people and organizations benefiting the city through a program called People Helping People, which honors public safety personnel.

Additionally, he is planning a Mayor’s Minute showcasing local businesses on social media and “Office Hours With Dr. Gold,” a virtual town hall
program.
By Christianne