SOUTHEAST AREA : City Councils Fill Leadership Posts

Area city councils have reorganized their leadership following last month’s municipal elections.

Council members in Bell, Bell Gardens, Commerce, Cudahy, Huntington Park, Maywood and South Gate annually select a new mayor and mayor pro tem, which are largely ceremonial positions.

In Bell, mayor pro tem George F. Bass, reelected to his second term, replaces Ray Johnson as mayor.

Councilman George Cole, who served as mayor from 1990-91, has been named by the council as mayor pro tem.

Frank Duran has been selected to serve a second term as mayor in Bell Gardens, while the City Council named newly elected Councilwoman Maria S. Chacon mayor pro tem.

In Commerce, mayor pro tem Ruben C. Batres has moved into the mayor’s chair and Councilman Artemio E. Navarro, an intermediate school teacher, will serve as mayor pro tem.

Leadership in Cudahy will remain the same, with Alex Rodriguez in the city’s top job and David Silva serving as mayor pro tem.

In Huntington Park, Ric Loya was selected to serve a second term as mayor and newly elected Rosario Marin was chosen as mayor pro tem.

Maywood’s new mayor is Henry Santiago Jr., and Councilwoman Dorothy Ramirez moves into the pro tem slot.

In South Gate, Councilman Albert Robles will serve his first term as mayor and newly elected Henry C. Gonzalez, who served as mayor for the city during the 1980s, will be vice mayor.