Virtually all city councils conduct their reorganization in December, electing their mayor and mayor pro tem. Since Anaheim has a directly elected mayor, tonight’s reorganization is for the MPT spot, currently held by Gail Eastman.
Generally speaking, councils tend to rotate the mayor pro tem position (although it can get political) so everyone gets a turn; although rotation really hasn’t been the rule in Anaheim.
Councilmembers Kris Murray and Jordan Brandman have yet to serve in the position, and since Murray is entering her fourth year in office and Brandman just his second, ordinarily it would stand to reason Murray would get the MPT nod. Although Councilwoman Lucille Kring has served two terms on the city council, she has never been Mayor Pro Tem; I don’t know whether or not she has any wish to be Mayor Pro Tem as she challenges Mayor Tom Tait for re-election.
We shall see.
Here’s a handy list of those who have served as Mayor Pro Tem since 1984 (taken from the staff report):
2013 – Gail Eastman
2012 (Apr-Dec 2012) – Harry Sidhu
2012 (Jan-Apr 2012) – Lorri Galloway
2011 – Harry Sidhu
2010 – Harry Sidhu
2009 – Bob Hernandez
2008 – Bob Hernandez
2007 – Bob Hernandez
2006 – Richard Chavez
2005 – Richard Chavez
2004 – Richard Chavez
2003 – Tom Tait
2002 – Frank Feldhaus
2001 – Shirley McCracken
2000 – Shirley McCracken
1999 – Shirley McCracken
1998 – Lou Lopez
1997 – Lou Lopez
1996 – Lou Lopez
1995 – Frank Feldhaus
1994 – Fred Hunter
1993 – Bob Simpson
1992 – Tom Daly
1991 – William D. Ehrle
1990 – Irv Pickler
1989 – Miriam Kaywood
1988 – Irv Pickler
1987 – Miriam Kaywood
1986 – Irv Pickler
1985 – E. Lewellyn Overholt, Jr.
1984 – Irv Pickler
The position of Mayor Pro Tem has been held by Hipanic politicians a great number of times. What a surprise!
Good point, Reade.
I heard an hour before the meeting Tait will announce he wants the job for himself. Since the rules didn’t matter when doing it at OCTA, why not do it here too?
Since the Mayor abstains or refuses to vote on most items, the Mayor Pro Tem will be very busy.
Maybe Tom Tait can nominate John Leos for Mayor Pro Tem. He nominates him for everything else.
Not a surprise that Tom Tait’s council colleagues only voted to let him be Mayor Pro Tem once. We should have seen this coming.