Nanette Barragan took over the mayor’s seat from Peter Tucker at the Hermosa Beach City Council meeting Tuesday night, though not for long.
Barragan told a packed council chamber — many of them there to protest the sewer fee — that she will leave the council on July 31 to focus on her run for the 44th Congressional District seat. Ordinarily, her mayorship would have run through April 12, 2016.
In a brief speech, Barragan said she was proud to become the city’s first Latina mayor, and the first woman to be mayor of Hermosa in 12 years.
“This moment is special for me, not just because I worked hard to get here, but because of the historical significance,” she said. “It’s an honor to serve as your mayor, even for a short period of time. This is one of those life events.”
Barragan was elected to the council in November 2013 and made her name as an opponent of Measure O, the failed proposal to lift the ban on oil drilling in Hermosa. In her bid for Congress, she’s also championing environmental issues.
Barragan’s brief mayoral tenure began around 7:30 p.m. She quickly made her rules for the chamber known, as she curtailed clapping during public comments and asked audience members to take chatter outside. She said she wanted to commit to getting things done, even if the council can’t agree on many issues.
Barragan drew praise from Carolyn Petty, who will succeed her as mayor.
“I appreciate your sincerity and your commitment to the town,” Petty said. “It says something about you that you don’t want to do a half job as mayor.”
Barragan’s first challenge was to preside over the sewer fee protest hearing. At one point, Barragan told a boisterous protester to behave or leave the chamber. As the meeting dragged on and neared midnight, Barragan excused herself and handed over management of the meeting to Petty.
Once Barragan leaves the council at the end of next month, the remaining council members will have two months to appoint a replacement or decide to hold a special election.
If the council chooses to fill Barragan’s seat by special election, the election could not take place until late November, said City Attorney Mike Jenkins, since it would need to be held at least 114 days after the date of her resignation. As such, the special election would be held separately from the November 3 municipal election, when terms expire for council members Tucker and Michael DiVirgilio.
