At the last scheduled meeting of 2021, two Seal Beach council members were nominated to serve as mayor in 2022. One candidate voted for the other, resulting in the re-election of District One Councilman Joe Kalmick as mayor.
The 2022 mayor pro tem is District Three Councilman Mike Varipapa.
In Seal Beach, voters select the City Council members at four-year intervals that depend on their respective districts. Every December, the council members select the mayor from among themselves. The mayor serves a one-year term.
When City Clerk Gloria Harper called for nominations for the mayor’s office, District Five Councilwoman Sandra Massa-Lavitt nominated Joe Kalmick.
District Two Councilman Thomas Moore nominated District Three Councilman Mike Varipapa, who was mayor pro tem, for the mayoral position.
Harper asked the council members to cast their votes for Kalmick.
Massa-Lavitt voted for Kalmick.
Councilman Kalmick voted for himself.
Then Varipapa voted for Kalmick. “If it will make things easier,” he said.
Those three votes constituted a majority of the council, so neither District Four Councilwoman Schelly Sustarsic nor Councilman Moore had a chance to vote.
Harper congratulated Kalmick.
“I’m just a bit taken aback,” Kalmick said.
Then Harper requested nominations for the mayor pro tem seat.
Kalmick nominated Councilman Varipapa for a second term as mayor pro tem.
Massa Lavitt voted for Varipapa.
Kalmick voted for Varipapa.
Sustarsic voted for Varipapa.
Massa-Lavitt thanked Kalmick for taking the initiative and being proactive on many committees and commissions.
Kalmick thanked Varipapa for participating in many events.
Kalmick’s four-year term on the council ends in 2022. It is not yet known if he will run for re-election.
Varipapa’s second term on the council ends in 2022. He will not be eligible to run again immediately. (It is possible he could run for office again after a term out of office.)
Massa-Lavitt also terms out of office in 2022.
That means three seats will be in play in the November 2022 election.
Moore’s second term ends in 2024.
Sustarsic’s term also ends in 2024.
The mayoral election was the council’s last business item at the last council meeting of 2021.
Kalmick adjourned the council meeting in memory of former mayor Victor Grgas and former Planning Commissioner member Ronde Winkler. Kalmick said memorials are being planned by the families of Grgas and Winkler.
