OJAI : DeVito Selected Mayor for 1994-95

In its annual reorganization of officers, the Ojai City Council selected Mayor Pro Tem Joe DeVito to serve as Ojai’s 1994-95 mayor and Councilwoman Nina Shelley to serve as mayor pro tem.

DeVito, an eight-year member of the council and a retired elementary school principal, succeeded Steve Olsen as Ojai’s mayor.

The positions are rotated among the five council members every year in April so each member has a chance to serve as mayor, Olsen said.

“It makes it a nonpolitical position,” said Olsen, who is assistant principal at Matilija Junior High School. “I think it’s an appropriate way to do the mayorship.”

DeVito served as mayor in 1989-90. “It’s always challenging,” he said. “When I was there before I was working full time at San Antonio (Elementary School) as a principal-teacher.”

DeVito, who retired in 1991, said he now has more time to commit to mayoral responsibilities.

In addition to leading City Council meetings, the mayor represents the city at public events and serves as a spokesperson for the council, Olsen said.

The mayor pro tem serves in the mayor’s absence. In Ojai, the position usually is a steppingstone to the mayor’s seat.

This is the third time Shelley has served as mayor pro tem on the council.