New Year, new Mayor Pro Tem
The contest for the post is not always bloodless.
Council Member Chito Vela is the new mayor pro tem, succeeding Vanessa Fuentes, who held the post for a year.
What does that mean? Not much. He now has the honor of running the meeting in the mayor's absence and to represent the city at events that the mayor can't attend. Vela is a good fit for that role. He is an energetic and enthusiastic guy.
Any vacancy on Council, including for mayor, is filled via special election.
In recent years the MPT position has become a participation trophy that everyone who stays in office long enough gets a chance to hold. But it hasn't always been that way.
