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Pictured above (l-r) are Mayor Ray Luna and Vice Mayor John Procter. |
Mayor and Vice Mayor named
December 08, 2006
Ray Luna selected to lead Santa Paula City Council as Mayor
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula City Council
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula TimesCity native Ray Luna was selected Mayor and John Procter Vice Mayor at Monday’s City Council meeting, the second time that Luna has taken the city’s top job.The largely ceremonial post of Mayor is rotated each year with the Council making the selection. It was smooth sailing at the December 4 Council reorganization meeting, where City Clerk Josie Herrera first explained the selection procedure and then opened nominations for Mayor to replace Rick Cook, who lost his third bid for a Council seat.Procter nominated Luna, who has been serving as Vice Mayor, and without another Councilman singled out for the post nominations were quickly closed.Under the watchful eyes of family and friends, Luna was selected with a unanimous vote to serve as Mayor, the second time he has been selected for the post since he was first elected to the City Council in 2000.As his first official duty Luna, a retired City of Ventura firefighter, opened the selection process for Vice Mayor.“As your Mayor I am now opening nominations for Vice Mayor,” said Luna.“I would like to personally congratulate you for the fine work you have done,” Councilman Dr. Gabino Aguirre told Luna before he offered Procter’s name for the post of Vice Mayor.
Newly elected Councilman Ralph Fernandez nominated Bob Gonzales, who also had just been sworn in for a first Council term.On the roll call vote, Aguirre, Procter and Luna, as well as Gonzales and Fernandez, voted for Procter.Procter was first elected to the City Council in 2000 and has also served one term as Mayor.Luna was out of town on Tuesday and unavailable for comment.The next regularly scheduled City Council meeting will be held Dec. 18.