City Officials Take Part In Ceremonial "Swearing-In" At Terrace Theater Organized by Incoming Mayor Garcia (Hear His Remarks)

Immediately following Mayor Garcia's remarks, the chair of Garcia's "Transition Team," [also lead person on his "Inaugural Committee" and had a role in an "Inaugural Finance Committee"] LB attorney, former Mayoral candidate and LBCC Trustee Doug Otto invited all LB elected officials on stage to form a line and raise their hands in unison to display what Otto called "unity for the community."

Screen save from City of LB webcast

Garcia, who received just over 52% of the vote citywide in a June runoff, presides at Council meetings and can offer recommendations but has no voting power which belong to district-elected Councilmembers. A new Council majority has now taken office comprised of Councilmembers Lena Gonzalez, Suzie Price, Stacey Mungo, Robert Uranga and Rex Richardson who join continuing incumbents Suja Lowenthal, Patrick O'Donnell, Dee Andrews and Al Austin.

The ceremonial "swearing in" was followed by a free-for-the-public-to-attend-first-ever Inaugural Gala offering free food, entertainment and dancing. The Gala was funded by donors (complete list not yet public, includes $20,000 in public money from Port of Long Beach) with net proceeds going to a local non-profit Children Today. In a July 11 mass emailing, Garcia said the Inaugural Gala had raised $270,000.

Earlier in the afternoon of July 15, the new Council voted 5-4 to choose Suja Lowenthal as its Vice Mayor (a position she held prior to Garcia.) Councilman Austin was nominated by O'Donnell and was supported by O'Donnell, Uranga, Austin, Richardson. Lowenthal was nominated by Andrews and supported for Vice Mayor by Gonzalez, Lowenthal, Price, Mungo, Andrews.