The Santa Clarita City Council meeting held on Tuesday, Dec. 12 celebrated outgoing Mayor Jason Gibbs as he gave up the gavel to Mayor Pro Tem Cameron Smyth. Smyth was unanimously elected mayor of Santa Clarita for the fifth time. The annual city council reorganization was held after numerous presentations were made to Gibbs in appreciation of his completed first term as Santa Clarita mayor.

Smyth was first elected to the Santa Clarita City Council in 2000 and re-elected in 2004. He served as mayor in 2003 and again in 2005.

In 2006, he was elected to the California State Assembly. Smyth was re-elected in 2008 and 2010, leaving in 2012 due to term limits.

In 2016, Smyth was again elected to the Santa Clarita City Council and re-elected in 2020. He served as mayor in 2017 and again in 2020.

Santa Clarita, which has a city council/city manager form of government, rotates the mayorship each year among the five city council members, usually in a predetermined order. The position of mayor is considered a mostly ceremonial position in Santa Clarita. The mayor chairs city council meetings and represents the city at public functions and other events.

Santa Clarita was incorporated as a city on Dec. 15, 1987.

However, the election of Councilmember Bill Miranda as mayor pro tem disrupted the usual order that should have seen Councilmember Marsha McLean elected to the “mayor-in-waiting” position. Councilmember Laurene Weste nominated Miranda and Miranda seconded his own nomination.

“Laurene, how did I know you were going to do that?” said McLean immediately after the 4-0 vote that elected Miranda mayor pro tem and saw McLean abstain from the vote.

McLean, elected to the council in 2002, has served four terms as mayor, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019.

Smyth was sworn in as mayor by the Santa Clarita City Clerk with his wife, Lena Smyth, children and mother Sue Smyth at his side.

During Smyth’s remarks after his swearing in he became briefly emotional as he spoke about what the honor meant to him.

Smyth’s term on the city council will expire in December 2024, but because of the change to election by districts for city council members, Smyth will no longer have a seat on the council.

Two city council seats will be on the ballot for 2024 and three on the ballot in 2026.