The Santa Clarita City Council will swear in two Council members and choose the new mayor for 2021 in a special meeting at City Hall on Tuesday, December 8, starting at 5 p.m.

The special meeting for the annual City Council reorganization will follow a special meeting in closed session at 4:30 p.m. regarding pending litigation against COVID-related eviction bans (related to Casa Greene Inc., et al. v. The State of California, etc, et al.; LASC Case No. 20STCV34976).

At 6 p.m., a regular meeting of the City Council will follow the swearing-in and mayoral vote.

The reorganization meeting will start with public participation for items on the agenda, followed by presentations.

Outgoing Mayor Cameron Smyth, wrapping up his fourth term as mayor (following terms in 2003, 2005 and 2017), will sum up his year leading the council, City Manager Ken Striplin will make presentations, retiring Councilman Bob Kellar will make comments, and there will be presentations by non-city officials.

The Council will then certify the results of the Nov. 3 General Election, swear in Smyth to a new term, and swear in Councilman-elect Jason Gibbs to his first term.

Finally, the newly reorganized City Council — Councilmembers Marsha McLean, Laurene Weste, Jason Gibbs, Mayor Pro-Tem Bill Miranda, and Smyth — will nominate and vote for the next mayor and mayor pro-tem.

In the Council’s present rotation system, the mayor pro-tem is in line to succeed the outgoing mayor. Barring any unexpected motions or moves, Bill Miranda is poised to become Santa Clarita’s next mayor.

Smyth will then pass the mayor’s gavel to the new mayor, who will be sworn in along with the new mayor pro-tem.

In the regular meeting at 6 p.m., the Council will consider:

* Renewing its contract with Washington D.C.-based firm MMO Partners for federal legislative advocacy services; hear the second reading of an ordinance to update the city’s Unified Development Code, Lyons Avenue Corridor Plan, Soledad Canyon Road Corridor Plan, and the Old Town Newhall Specific Plan;

* Approval of the final tract map and accept and reject offers of dedication for Tract No. 73858, for condominiums to be located in the Plum Canyon community on the east side of Whites Canyon Road, south of Skyline Ranch Road;

* Awarding a contract to Lanair Group, LLC, for the purchase of Ciena fiber electronics hardware to increase the capacity of the fiber-optic connection between the city’s primary data center and downtown Los Angeles in order to attract new, high-speed Internet service providers who will require this capacity to service local businesses.

Read the complete agenda for the regular meeting here.

Details for Public Participation

Council Chambers are located at Santa Clarita City Hall, 23920 Valencia Blvd. 1st Floor, Santa Clarita 91355.

To maximize public safety while still maintaining transparency and public access, members of the public can also observe and participate in the meeting remotely using Zoom.

Members of the community may observe the meetings via live stream at santa-clarita.com/agendas or watch on Channel 20.

For those wishing to provide written comments on an item as listed on the agenda, submit an electronic written comment form at https://www.santa-clarita.com/writtencomment at least 30 minutes before the start time. Comments will be made part of the meeting record, but not read into the record.

For those wishing to speak on an item as listed on the agenda, submit an electronic speaker form at
https://www.santa-clarita.com/speakersignup at least 30 minutes before the start of the meeting with your name and the phone number you will be using to call into the meeting.

To participate in the special reorganization meeting and the swear-in using Zoom use Webinar ID: 934 6916 8717
and Passcode Required: 846898

Zoom Webinar direct link: https://santaclarita.zoom.us/j/93469168717

To participate in the regular meeting using Zoom use Webinar ID: 978 1908 5061 and Password: 22753

Zoom Webinar direct link: https://santaclarita.zoom.us/j/97819085061

Telephone (both reorganization and regular meetings):
US:
+1 669 900 9128 or
+1 253 215 8782 or
+1 346 248 7799 or
+1 312 626 6799 or
+1 646 558 8656 or
+1 301 715 8592

Note: You will not be visible to any of the meeting participants during the meeting, and your phone will not be unmuted until your name has been announced when it is your time to speak. You will have three minutes to speak, with double the time allotted for non-English speakers using a translator, unless that time is adjusted by the mayor.