Signal Hill City Council has reorganized itself following the most recent election results, with Tina Hansen rotating into the position of mayor on Wednesday, Dec. 14.
Unlike other cities, residents of Signal Hill don’t vote for their mayor. Instead, the city council members take turns being vice mayor and mayor. Every two years, the council member elected in the most recent prior election becomes vice mayor, and the current vice mayor is elevated to the position of mayor.
Former mayor Keir Jones won his reelection campaign, and will now continue to serve as a council member.
Hansen said that Jones “served this office with authenticity, enthusiasm and dedication. And he’s earned respect and admiration for his integrity and for his personal and professional dedication as mayor.”
Lori Woods, who was elected into the city council in 2020, will now serve as vice mayor of Signal Hill.
Hansen said that during her next years as mayor she plans to focus on housing and small businesses in Signal Hill.
As a long-time council member, Hansen has served as mayor multiple times in the past. She commented on how she first served as mayor before her children were born, and that they are now teenagers.
“I would say for the last maybe four reelections there’s always been a candidate who has talked about ‘we need new blood, we need to reelect somebody new,’” Hansen said. “And my response has been, every cycle, I look at what I’ve done on the council and what I still want to do on the council and whether I think that I have a valid viewpoint, things that I still want to do, am I reflecting the current state of our city. I really don’t just run without really thinking through these things. And there will come a time, and maybe the next election, where I decide the things I set out to do are on the right path, it’s time for somebody else to step in.”