The Santa Clarita City Council unanimously voted Cameron Smyth as its 2020 mayor and Bill Miranda as mayor pro tem on Tuesday.
Smyth’s first words as this year’s mayor offered an outlook for the new year: 2020 is for healing.
“On Nov. 14, our community changed forever,” said Smyth. “There’s no other way to put that, and 2020 will be a year of healing. I know I can speak for the (City) Council when we say that we will individually, collectively, as a city, do whatever we can, play whatever role is necessary to help with that healing.”
The new mayor, reiterating remarks by outgoing Mayor Marsha McLean, referred to the Saugus High School shooting that left three teenagers dead, including the shooter, and wounded three others on campus that morning.
The City Council voted unanimously to appoint Smyth, which marks his fourth stint as mayor. (He also served as mayor in 2003, 2005 and 2017.) Councilman Bill Miranda made the first nomination, saying that Smyth “epitomizes what it means to be a public servant. I think Cameron Smyth is just the right person at the right time for this job of mayor of the city of Santa Clarita.”
McLean and Councilwoman Laurene Weste both seconded Miranda’s nomination. A nomination for another council member was not made. McLean then nominated Miranda as mayor pro tem, which marks his first time with the position. That also received a 5-0 vote.
This year’s mayoral selection process followed the long-established tradition where the council gives the mayor position to the mayor pro tem, which Smyth held this year.
“It’s been a real pleasure to work with these folks on the City Council,” said Councilman Bob Kellar, who is preparing to serve the fourth year of what he’s said will be his fifth and final term.
Alongside his family and friends, gavel in hand, Smyth said in 2020, Santa Clarita will see several projects come alive, including the new fire station at Golden Valley Road, the opening of the new Canyon Country Community Center and the Laemmle Theatre in Newhall and the addition of four, multi-use fields at Central Park.
McLean concluded her fourth term as mayor by noting the highs and lows of 2019.
“I will look back at 2019 as a year of great accomplishments in our city mixed with great sadness,” McLean said, “but also as a time when we came together and supported each other like never before.”
