At the Brea City Council’s annual reorganization Dec. 2 , Cecilia Hupp was elected mayor and Marty Simonoff mayor pro tem.

The vote was 3-1 with Councilmember Christine Marick absent, and Councilmember Steven Vargas’ no vote.

Mayor Blair Stewart nominated Hupp and Simonoff, with Simonoff seconding the motion. Then Vargas nominated himself for mayor pro tem, but the nomination did not receive a second, so it died.

This has happened many times before in the 15 years Vargas has served on the City Council, he was elected mayor once.

Some people may wonder why the voters in Brea do not elect the mayor and mayor pro tem. It is because Brea is a general law city, in which the mayor and mayor pro tem are chosen by their fellow council members.

It has always been that way, beginning when Brea

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