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Cerritos Swears In New Council; Frank Aurelio Yokoyama Elected Mayor, Linda Johnson Named Mayor Pro Tem
Summary
At a special meeting March 26, the Cerritos City Council sworn in three newly elected members, unanimously elected Councilmember Frank Aurelio Yokoyama as mayor and named Linda Johnson mayor pro tem; speakers at the ceremony urged accessibility upgrades and noted public-safety and economic development priorities.
CERRITOS, Calif. — The Cerritos City Council on Wednesday evening swore in three newly elected councilmembers and unanimously chose Councilmember Frank Aurelio Yokoyama to serve as mayor, with Councilmember Linda Johnson elected mayor pro tem.
The special meeting at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts included formal roll-call votes after nominations: Councilmember Mark Pulido nominated Yokoyama for mayor; the council closed nominations, conducted a roll-call vote and recorded a unanimous 5-0 result. Pulido later nominated Johnson for mayor pro tem; that nomination likewise passed on a unanimous roll-call vote.
The new leadership took the dais after brief remarks and the oath of office were delivered to incoming council members. California Attorney General Rob Bonta administered the oath for Councilmember Mark Pulido; other elected officials and community leaders participated in the swearing-in of the remaining council members.
Why it matters: The selections set the council’s leadership for the coming year and come as the newly seated council pledged priorities including public safety, support for local businesses and improved services for seniors and students. The ceremony drew a large delegation of regional elected officials and community groups, underscoring the council’s regional ties.
What happened: After the clerk called the meeting to order, newly elected councilmembers were sworn in. Following the oath, Councilmember Frank Aurelio Yokoyama gave remarks outlining his priorities, saying he is “filled with excitement and also humbleness” and that he looks forward to working with colleagues “to strengthen public safety, make Cerritos business friendly, maintain the highest education standards, improve programs for seniors, improve public infrastructure, balance budget, and increase city revenue.”
Councilmember Linda Johnson, after being elected mayor pro tem, told the audience the council would work together on behalf of residents: “We are going to be Team Cerritos. We all work for you, the residents of Cerritos.”
Public comment and community notes: The ceremony included an extended public-comment period. Speakers included local school board members, representatives of business and civic groups, and residents offering congratulations and requests. Notable substantive public comments included a request that the council consider installing a hearing loop in the venue to improve accessibility for people with hearing loss, and a resident’s question about a line-item described on a restaurant receipt as a “Cerritos tax” and whether that tax applies citywide or only to certain businesses; staff said they would follow up.
Votes at a glance: - Nomination and election of Frank Aurelio Yokoyama as mayor — Motion to nominate by Councilmember Mark Pulido; roll-call vote 5–0 (Hong, Johnson, Pulido, Sei, Yokoyama), outcome: approved. - Nomination and election of Linda Johnson as mayor pro tem — Motion to nominate by Councilmember Mark Pulido, seconded during the meeting; roll-call vote 5–0 (Hong, Johnson, Pulido, Sei, Yokoyama), outcome: approved.
Who spoke (selected): The sworn-in and leadership-elected officials who spoke during the meeting included Councilmember Frank Aurelio Yokoyama (mayor), Mayor Pro Tem Linda Johnson (councilmember), Councilmember Mark Pulido (councilmember and nominator), Councilmember Jennifer Hong (councilmember), and Councilmember Sofia M. Sei (councilmember). California Attorney General Rob Bonta gave remarks and administered the oath to Pulido; Ernie Nishi and Tuan Nguyen of the ABC Unified School District also participated in parts of the swearing-in.
Context and next steps: The council did not take policy votes on new ordinances or budgets at this special ceremony. Several speakers urged the council to prioritize accessibility upgrades and public-safety improvements; staff committed to follow up on specific questions raised during public comment including the hearing-loop request and the tax inquiry. The council’s stated agenda items for the coming months include public-safety and economic development work mentioned in remarks by the new mayor.
— End of report
