CITY COUNCIL LEADERSHIP CHANGES HANDS

City councils in many Southeast communities this month completed their annual reorganization process, choosing new mayors and mayors pro tem for one-year terms. The selections are made by a majority of council members.

Although the mayoral title is largely ceremonial, the mayor also officiates over city council meetings. The mayor pro tem takes over the duties of mayor when the

mayor is absent or out of the city. Of the 25 cities in Southeast Los Angeles County, only Long Beach and Compton hold citywide mayoral elections.

The Whittier City Council chooses its mayor every two years. Lynwood chooses its mayor in January, and Cerritos, Paramount and Santa Fe Springs choose mayors in May. The Maywood, Downey and Montebello City Councils choose mayors in June, July and November, respectively.

City New Mayor Term Mayor Pro Tem Artesia Dennis R. Fellows 4th Robert J. Jamison Bell Ray Johnson 2nd Rolf Janssen Bell Gardens Roger McComas 8th Allen Shelby Bellflower John Ansdell 2nd Randy Bomgaars Commerce Ruth R. Aldaco 2nd Ruben C. Batres Cudahy Tom Thurman 1st Joseph Graffio Hawaiian Donald E. Schultze 2nd Rosalie M. Sher Gardens Huntington Park William P. Cunningham 3rd James Roberts La Habra Jean G. Good 3rd John R. Wible Heights Lakewood Larry Van Nostran 4th Wayne Piercy La Mirada Art Leslie 1st Lou Piltz Norwalk Grace F. Napolitano 1st Luigi A. Vernola Pico Rivera John D. Chavez 3rd Al Natividad South Gate Herbert W. Cranton 3rd William H. DeWitt Signal Hill Gerard Goedhart 2nd Louis Dare

City Outgoing Mayor Artesia James A. Van Horn Bell George G. Mirabal Bell Gardens Ronald Bird Bellflower Kenneth J. Cleveland Commerce Ruth R. Aldaco Cudahy Wilfred Colon Hawaiian Kathleen M. Navejas Gardens Huntington Park Jack W. Parks La Habra Gene W. Beckman Heights Lakewood Jacqueline Rynerson La Mirada Wayne Rew Norwalk Marcial (Rod) Rodriguez Pico Rivera James M. Patronite South Gate Odell L. Snavely Signal Hill Sara A. Hanlon