Mario Trujillo elected Downey mayor for 2024

Mario Trujillo, pictured at a May 22, 2023 city council meeting, was elected Tuesday to be Downey’s mayor for 2024. He will be sworn-in Dec. 14.

DOWNEY — Mario Trujillo will serve as Downey mayor in 2024, with Hector Sosa stepping in behind him as mayor pro tem.

The decision – one of the newly established council’s first actions - was not unanimous, as Downey’s leadership in the upcoming year came down to two nominations between Trujillo and outgoing mayor Claudia M. Frometa.

Trujillo received the first nomination, made by freshly sworn-in councilman Horacio Ortiz Jr. and seconded by Trujillo.

His nomination was challenged by the other freshman councilmember, Dorothy Pemberton, who preferred to see Frometa continue in back-to-back terms.

Pemberton defended her nomination by saying that Frometa’s first stint as mayor in 2021 was not a true full term due to the pandemic.

“This city was on lockdown for half the year with Zoom meetings, no appearances, they couldn’t fully represent the city; that’s when Mayor Frometa was mayor in 2021,” said Pemberton. “She actually had half a term, and she was not able to do everything because we were shut down and [had] protocols in place. This has been the first full year that she has been mayor running our city.”

Pemberton added that the city has been “in turmoil” for the last two years, stemming from the exodus of many key staff personnel, but that Frometa had helped “lay the foundation” and built strong relationships with the new staff that have joined the city in recent months.

“Her mission was to restore order in our council chambers, and she’s accomplishing that, and that’s a very hard task that she had to deal with,” said Pemberton. “I feel, as many do feel in talking with residents, that our city is back on track, and that takes good leadership…I’ve spoken with so many people that think she’s excellent, and she should continue for another year, especially since this is going to be her final term.”

The deciding vote was Sosa, who relented his support to Trujillo but did not mince words with him.

“I believe in fair government. I believe in transparency… I can tell you, Mayor Pro Tem Trujillo, that one of the reasons I ran is because I didn’t like the direction the city was going in; I didn’t appreciate the ousting of [city manager Gilbert] Livas at all, and the mass exodus that came from there,” said Sosa. “However, in sense of unity, I’m telling you in front of all these fine people here that I will support you being mayor the next year, for us to come together.”

He continued:

“I will tell you straight up, I am not happy with what happened to Gil Livas and the mass exodus that spilled out from there, I’m not a big fan of your affiliation with [Los Angeles County District Attorney] George Gascon, but with respect to fairness and opportunity, I hope that we can move the city forward together.”

The final vote was 3-1 with Pemberton opposed and Frometa abstaining.