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News, City Council, Election, Santa Monica
Pam O'Connor New Santa Monica Mayor; Terry O'Day Appointed Mayor Pro Tem
Posted Dec. 11, 2012, 12:35 pm
Parimal M. Rohit / Staff Writer
Updated Wednesday, Dec. 12 - 11 a.m.
Pam O’Connor commenced her fourth term as Santa Monica Mayor after five rounds of tight voting Tuesday, taking over the seat previously occupied by newly minted state Assemblyman Richard Bloom. Moments after O’Connor’s selection as the City’s leader, Terry O’Day was elected to his first term as Mayor Pro Tem.
The vote for mayor was at an impasse for four rounds of voting, with former Mayor Pro Tem Gleam Davis and Council member Kevin McKeown both nominated for the mayoral post. During the first four rounds, none of the candidates received the minimum four votes necessary to be selected mayor.
Newly elected Council member Tony Vazquez opened the nomination process by naming O’Connor as a candidate for mayor. Moments later, O’Day nominated Davis, while Council member Ted Winterer, also new to the dais, followed up by nominating McKeown.
The roll call finished with a 3-2-2 count: three votes for O’Connor and two each for David and O’Day. O’Connor received votes from herself, Vazquez, and Council member Bob Holbrook; Davis had both her vote and O’Day’s, while McKeown and Winterer paired together.
On the second round of nominations, Winterer suggested Davis and McKeown split the two-year mayoral term, with McKeown serving as mayor through 2013 with Davis remaining as Mayor Pro Tem another year. In 2014, Davis would serve as mayor and McKeown as mayor pro tem. Vazquez again submitted O’Connor’s name, while O’Day again nominated Davis.
The second ballot also ended in a 3-2-2 vote, with the same three votes for O’Connor but only McKeown and Winterer supporting the McKeown-Davis ticket. Davis and O’Day sided together on Davis serving a full two-year term.
An impasse remained on the third ballot. O’Connor was again nominated by Vazquez, but McKeown altered Winterer’s previous nomination by suggesting Davis serve as mayor in 2013 and he in 2014. O’Day again nominated Davis for two-years.
O’Connor received the same three votes, with Winterer and McKeown voting in favor of the Davis-McKeown ticket. For a third time, O’Day supported Davis’ vote for herself.
The fourth round of nominations began with Holbrook submitting O’Connor’s name for mayor, followed by Winterer’s nomination of McKeown. For a fourth time, O’Day nominated Davis.
The vote was 3-2-2 yet again: three for O’Connor and two each for Davis and McKeown.
Opening the fifth round of nominations was Holbrook, again proposing O’Connor. Winterer again suggested his first recommendation of McKeown-Davis. The impasse was finally broken when O’Day joined the bloc of three council members supporting O’Connor’s candidacy.
Moments after O’Connor’s election, Davis nominated O’Day for the mayor pro tem seat; Winterer nominated Davis. Council members voted 5-2 to in favor of O’Day, with McKeown and Winterer voting for Davis.
Both O’Connor and O’Day will serve in their respective roles as mayor and mayor pro tem through 2014.
The new look council officially took form a few minutes prior to the votes, with Davis, O’Day, Vazquez, and Winterer sworn in by City Clerk Sarah Gorman. All four council members were elected to the dais Nov. 6 and will serve on the dais through 2016.
O’Connor, Holbrook, and McKeown are incumbents on this council, serving through 2014.
Serving on the council since 1994, O’Connor was previously mayor from 1998 to 1999 and from 2004 to 2005. She also filled the position of acting Mayor after Ken Genser died in January 2010.
Making his final appearance on the dais before the swearing in and transition, Bobby Shriver gave a few words about his experience as a council member.
Bloom, who assumed his new role in Sacramento as an assemblyman last week, was not present.
Prior to the oath and convening of the new council, the new members of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District and Santa Monica Rent Control Board were sworn into office.
The first orders of business for the new council included: a possible tax exemption for the sale of the House of Rock; the consideration of an Affordable Housing Policy recommendation; a proposed policy to “slowdown” the consideration of pending development agreements; and, whether or not to reconsider a vote favoring the development to replace Village Trailer Park.
Council members will not meet again in 2012; the next scheduled meeting is Jan. 8, 2013.
Comments
Dec. 11, 2012, 1:42:21 pm
mangeleno said...
So we now have two demonstrably pro-development weenies in leadership posts. They are noted as 'd3emonstrably pro-development" based on their actions in the recent pasat. This is opposed to their rhetoric which paints themselves in an opposite vein. Oh well, who ever expected honesty from an SMRR lackey? That's SMRR, folks - the finest government money can (and often does) buy
Dec. 12, 2012, 1:51:16 am
victim said...
I hope she will fight to end Santa Monica's racist, agist edicts that discriminate against tax paying citizens who smoke.
Dec. 12, 2012, 1:53:44 am
Ron Di Costanzo said...
O'Connor and O;'Day - god, how dispiriting. Soon they'll be negotiating and giving tax breaks to build the Golden State Building. To replace the pier. And then campaigning next time on all they've done to the city. And then getting re-elected. So it goes, folks.
Dec. 12, 2012, 2:02:04 am
Kit Dreyfuss said...
I cannot understand why council members have never given Kevin McKeown a chance to serve as Santa Monica's mayor. He is certainly well qualified for the role, but his peers persist in rejecting him. Why?
Dec. 12, 2012, 1:14:49 am
Tamara Henry said...
Yaay!! I had the pleasure of interviewing her in 2007 for Metro Motion. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b18K03oUlKo Pam is great! TamaraHenry.com
Dec. 12, 2012, 4:23:20 am
stewart said...
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Mar. 4, 2013, 2:06:49 pm
Sandra Pimentel said...
I have attempted to get this message to Mayor O'Day's Office. I invite the Mayor or a representative to attend a vigil to end gun violence that is being held in Santa Monica this Sunday. I understand that it is unlikely that she will attend at this late date but if she would like to send a representative or a statement to be read, that would be great. Here is the basic information regarding the event Contact Sandra Pimentel 781-710-2629 sandra620@gmail.com Contact Sandra Pimentel 781-710-2629 sandra620@gmail.com JOIN HANDS TO CHANGE GUN LAWS MOM, or Mothers Opposed to Mayhem, is an initiative formed in wake of the gun violence that killed 20 children at Sandy Hook in Connecticut. Its mission is to end the deaths of our children by high-powered, semi-automatic weapons that use high capacity magazines. To that end, participants will hold a vigil on March 10, 2013, in memory of the children/victims who perished from gun violence at Sandy Hook and elsewhere in America. WHO: Mothers, grandmothers and other family members who seek change in our gun laws. WHAT: A vigil in memory of the children lost to gun violence and in support of their mothers, grandmothers and other family members WHERE: Palisades Park on the corner of Wilshire Blvd and Ocean WHEN: 12 noon, March 10, 2013 WHY: To encourage and lend support to leaders who are courageously fighting for change, and let them know that we will support their action at the polls. From a Pulitzer-Prize winning supporter of MOMS: "It's time to stand up and say "Enough." And to say it in a voice loud enough to drown out the irrational fanatics who have dominated this issue for too long. Stand with us on March 10. For the sake of our kids. For the sake of our souls." Geraldine Brooks, author of "People of the Book" and "March." From Sandy Pimentel, co- founder of MOM "I had seen too many gun related deaths and two mass murders when I worked with victims in the criminal justice system. The mass killing at Newtown was the straw that broke the camels back for me. Like so many of us I wept for the child victims and their heroic teachers. It could have been any of our children or grandchildren in arms way, and it's time for us to stand together for all children across America"." The vigil in Santa Monica is one of several being held across the country by MOM. It's a simple, one-time effort to mobilize with other established organizations that have been marching over these past months for the same cause – rational changes in gun laws. Google: MOM (Mothers Opposed to Mayhem) to look at our Facebook page Sign our petition: SignOn.org, MOM (Mothers Opposed to Mayhem)