Hesperia City Council set to appoint new mayor, mayor pro tem
A changing of the guard of sorts will happen Tuesday night when the Hesperia City Council appoints a new mayor and mayor pro tem from among the group.
During last year’s council reorganization, the City Council selected then-Councilman Cameron Gregg by a 4-1 vote to take over the mayoral reins from former Mayor Larry Bird, who currently serves as councilman.
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During that time, Councilwoman Rebekah Swanson cast the dissenting vote against Gregg and later declined to comment when asked about her decision, the Daily Press reported.
As Gregg was appointed mayor, then-Councilwoman Brigit Bennington was selected as mayor pro tem.
Unlike the cities of Adelanto and Barstow, Hesperia's mayor is not elected. Voters elect council members in their respective districts, and the City Council later votes to appoint one of its own to the position. This process is the same in Apple Valley and Victorville.
The next mayor
Either Bennington or Swanson are most likely to be selected as the new mayor, with the edge going to Bennington mainly because of her role as mayor pro tem.
In 2018, the council appointed Swanson to the mayor pro tem position after the unexpected death of former 74-year-old Mayor Russ Blewett.
The following year, Swanson was in line to receive the mayoral appointment but was overlooked by the council, who appointed Bird as mayor and Gregg as mayor pro tem.
The council
During the 2020 election, first-term incumbents Swanson (District 1) and Bird (District 5) held onto their seats.
In 2019, Bennington (District 4) was appointed to her seat to fill the vacancy left by former Councilman Jeremiah Brosowske, who was voted off the dais by the council in September.
The following year, Bennington won her council seat when she ran unopposed.
In 2021, the City of Hesperia prevailed in a court battle with Brosowske, who sued the municipality after he was ousted by the City Council in September 2019 for alleged non-residency, the Daily Press reported.
Gregg was first elected in 2018 and represents District 3, and three-term Councilman Bill Holland, who holds the District 2 seat, was first elected in 2010.
A trio of women mayors?
Come mid-December, there’s a strong possibility that three Victor Valley municipalities could have women serving simultaneously as mayors.
The trio of mayors could happen if either Bennington or Swanson is selected, and the Apple Valley Town Council on Dec. 14 appoints Mayor Pro Tem Kari Leon, who was first elected in 2018.
The Victorville City Council, which includes four women council members, is also scheduled on Tuesday to appoint a new mayor, with Mayor Debra Jones most likely to retain her position.
The Victorville Council also includes Mayor Pro Tem Leslie Irving and council members Blanca Gomez and Elizabeth "Liz" Becerra.
Additional agenda items
The Hesperia Council will conduct a public hearing as they consider the Planning Commission's recommendation of a first reading regarding a specific plan amendment. Approval of the amendment would change approximately 35 gross acres within the Main Street and freeway corridor specific plan from “Office Park” to “Low Density Residential” located on the west side of Topaz Avenue, south of Verde Street and approximately 375 feet east of Blanchard Road.
The council will consider adopting a joint resolution declaring 45 properties owned by the city as "Surplus." The state’s Surplus Land Act, which went into effect last year, requires all local agencies to give a right of first refusal to — and to prioritize negotiations with — affordable housing sponsors and public entities when disposing of surplus land.
The council will also consider approving an amendment to an existing contract with Allison Mechanical, Inc. for $117,000, for heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning preventative maintenance and repair services for the city.
The Hesperia City Council meeting is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in council chambers at Hesperia City Hall, 9700 Seventh Avenue.
Visitors are asked to wear masks during meetings and inside city facilities.
Public comments can be made in person or by telephone by calling ahead and recording a message with the City Clerk’s office at 760-947-1007.
Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227 or RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Hesperia Council set to appoint new mayor, mayor pro tem
