CYPRESS : Council Chooses Kerry as New Mayor

Two-term Councilwoman Gail H. Kerry was chosen by her colleagues to be the new mayor.

Mayor Richard Partin turned over the gavel to Kerry during the council’s annual reorganization, which took place Monday at the council meeting. Councilwoman Cecilia L. Age was chosen to serve as mayor pro tem.

Every November, the council holds the reorganization to choose who will serve in the city’s top jobs. Although the mayoral post is largely ceremonial, the mayor does act as a representative for the city and conducts all meetings for one year.

Kerry, who won reelection to the council this month, was unanimously voted in by her fellow council members. She was first elected to the council in 1988 as an outspoken opponent of a plan to develop the land surrounding the Los Alamitos Race Course into a large business park.

During her tenure, she has earned a reputation as being an outspoken council member. In the past, she has vehemently opposed plans to put a light-rail system through the city, saying the rail line should be on the freeway and not in people’s back yards. She also supported efforts to feed rabbits that had been dumped in a city park.

More recently, she favored plans to implement a controversial ordinance designed to rid city streets of large vehicles. Facing angry recreational vehicle owners and an upcoming election, she maintained her position, even after residents threatened to get even with both her and Age, who was also up for reelection, at the polls.

Because of a two-term limitation rule, Kerry will be ineligible to run again in 1996.