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Year-end Council reorganization begins with celebration of outgoing Members
As 2022 is an election year, this year’s Council reorganiztion meeting began with a celebratory send-off for two termed-out Council Members, Paulo Morales and Jon Peat.
California State Senator Janet Nguyen was on hand with State commendations. These fancy accolades were ordered with her State Assembly logo rather than her new State Senate logo so that they would be ready for presentation in time for the Council reorganization.
Also on hand were representatives from State Assemblymember Sharon Quirk Silva and State Senator Josh Newman.
Assemblymember Quirk Silva herself just won re-election and was recently sworn in. State Senator Josh Newman will challenge State Senator Dave Min in the newly redrawn State Senate District 37 in 2024.
Swearing-in of newly elected Council members
Photo by C.E.H. Wiedel.
After a short break for refreshments, the meeting was reconvened and control handed to Cypress City Clerk Alisha Farnell. She invited the new Members forward into the well of the Chamber in front of the dais.
The now-former Council Members joined family and friends in the audience.
Using a wireless microphone so that everyone in person and online could hear, Ms. Farnell prompted the new Members as a group to attest aloud to the oath of office, taken from the government code of the State of California:
Following the oral oath, each Member signed a printed copy of the oath.
New Council selects Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem
The selection of Anne Hertz-Mallari as the new Mayor went smoothly. Her name was put forward by Councilmember Scott Minikus and seconded by Councilmember Bonnie Peat. In nominating her, Councilmember Minikus noted that she comes to meetings fully prepared and has given valuable input on matters related to the City. The vote was unanimous in her favor.
The selection of Mayor Pro Tem was more divided.
Mayor Hertz-Mallari nominated Councilmember Scott Minikus. In nominating him, Mayor Hertz-Mallari stressed his committee work and wisdom in decision-making. The nomination was seconded by Councilmember Bonnie Peat.
Before a vote could be taken, Council Member David Burke made a substitute motion nominating Councilmember Frances Marquez as Mayor Pro Tem. The nomination was seconded by Councilmember Marquez. By Council election rules, the substitute motion had to be voted on before the original motion could be considered. In nominating her, Councilmember Burke asserted that the position of Mayor Pro Tem goes to the more senior Councilmembers, followed by number of votes received. He reminded the Council and audience that Councilmember Marquez received the second-highest number of votes in the 2020 election. The substitute motion failed with 3 no votes (Hertz-Mallari, Minikus, Peat) and 2 yes votes (Marquez, Burke).
Returning to the original motion nominating Scott Minikus as Mayor Pro Tem, the vote was 3 yes (Hertz-Mallari, Minikus, Peat) and 2 no (Marquez, Burke). That made Councilmember Minikus into Mayor Pro Tem Minikus.
Remarks by new Councilmembers
In his remarks as a new Councilmember, Mr. Burke credited his parents with inspiring him to run for election. He thanked and praised his wife Courtney and waved to his son Adam. He expressed gratitude to his campaign volunteers. For the future, he stressed responsive and transparent government. He expressed eagerness to work with the broadly experienced new Council and City Staff.
In his remarks as a new Councilmember in his own right (after being appointed to fill a vacancy), Mr. Minikus praised his family.
In her remarks as a new Councilmember, Ms. Peat thanked the voters, her husband Jon and son Michael. She stressed the value of a “really good Council,” agreeing with Councilmember Burke that the new Council is a “great mix.”
Committee assignments postponed
Following a vote earlier in the year, committee assignments will take place in January 2023.
One peculiarity of the night’s published agenda was the omission of a section for Council Member remarks and reports. Looking at published agendas for year-end reorganization meetings as far back as 2014, this is the first time a reorganization meeting’s agenda has omitted that section.
