The La Mirada City Council conducted its annual reorganization last month selecting Steve De Ruse as Mayor for the 2023-24 term.

Councilmember Andrew Sarega was selected to serve as Mayor Pro Tem in a 4-0 vote with Councilman John Lewis abstaining.

It seems as if everyone is beginning to get warm and fuzzy all over as this may indicate an end to the decade-long contentious era in which Sarega was passed over twice when it was his “turn,” which has always been the traditional way La Mirada chooses their next Mayor and Pro Tems.

The uncharacteristic tumultuous nature of politics in La Mirada during this time, seemingly has been mostly fueled by the tenuous relationship between Sarega and Lewis, which seems to be continuing in some degree when Lewis abstained.

The Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem each serve one-year terms.

Mayor De Ruse was first elected to the City Council in 2011 and re-elected in 2015 and 2020. This will be his fourth term as Mayor. He is a senior pastor and has been a resident of La Mirada since 1976.

The now Mayor Pro Tem Sarega was elected to the City Council in 2013 and re-elected in 2017 and 2022. He has been a resident of La Mirada for more than 30 years and earned a Juris Doctor degree from Chapman University, Fowler School of Law.

Also serving on the City Council are Ed Eng and Anthony Otero.