CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council’s newest members will act as the council’s leadership in the coming year.

During the council’s annual reorganization at its meeting Thursday evening, the council unanimously elected Joey Luiz mayor and Jeri Spittler vice mayor.

Luiz and Spittler were elected to the council in November 2010 and seated the following month, just one year ago.

During the past year, Luiz has served as the city’s vice mayor.

In a presentation at the start of the meeting and before the council elections, outgoing Mayor Joyce Overton said this past year has gone quickly, and she said she believed the council was working well together and made a “great team.”

She presented Luiz with a plaque in recognition of his year of service as vice mayor, and Luiz in turn presented Overton with a plaque honoring her term as mayor, noting he had appreciated working with her over the year.

During council reports later in the evening, Luiz said he looks forward to serving the city as mayor.

“It’s been a wonderful year, well, not all of it,” he said referring to the past year, which has seen the city struggle with finances and a lengthy process to find a new city administrator.

He said the council has good working relations amongst its members, although they’re not united on everything.

During her evening report Spittler also took the opportunity to thank fellow council members for the vice mayor’s appointment.

Also at the Thursday night meeting, which lasted just over 70 minutes, the council voted unanimously to adopt resolutions to participate in the Lake County Energy & Water Efficiency Program.

City Clerk Melissa Swanson said there is no cost to the city to participate in the program, which helps businesses and community members with energy efficiency measures.

The council also voted to use the redevelopment agency’s Series A Project Funds to provide the tax increment share of bond debt service for fiscal year 2010-11, and authorize the necessary budget adjustments.

An emergency item involving the submission of a financial report to the state was added to the agenda and passed by the council.

 

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