Council appoints Douglas Lawson mayor after special meeting and public presentations

RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — The Riviera Beach City Council voted 3–2 Monday night to appoint Douglas Lawson as the city’s mayor, following a special meeting in which 11 applicants made five-minute presentations and dozens of residents offered public comment.

The council’s roll-call vote appointed Lawson to serve from April 14, 2025, until March 2027; the city attorney said the charter and ordinances require that schedule and there is no opportunity under current law for an immediate special election. Lawson took the oath of office at the meeting and was sworn in by Bishop Thomas Masters after a brief recess.

The appointment fills the vacancy left when the mayor’s seat became open March 20, 2025. The city clerk described the application window and the selection procedure: applications were accepted March 26–April 4, and the council agreed to hear applicants in alphabetical order and accept nominations at the meeting.

Council members heard five-minute presentations from each candidate, including Lawson, who described an action-oriented plan emphasizing infrastructure, public safety, economic development,…