The Redlands City Council has reversed a 2023 decision to rotate the mayor’s seat among its members, choosing instead to nominate and elect the ceremonial figurehead who presides over meetings and public events. With the move Tuesday, Dec. 17, the council effectively skipped over Councilmember Denise Davis, who had been next in line in the mayoral rotation schedule, and elected Councilmember Mario Saucedo mayor and newly seated Councilmember Marc Shaw as mayor pro tem. “Changing the rules mid-game sends the wrong message, that leadership positions are reserved for the most powerful, not for those that are willing to step up and serve when their time comes,” Davis said at the council meeting. The council voted 4-1, with Davis opposed, to restore a council nomination and voting process for selecting the mayor. Under the rotational process that had been approved in January 2023, Davis was next in line for mayor based on seniority. The council traditionally elected its own leadership after each general election, based on nominations by council members. Under the rotational process approved two years ago, the council was expected this month to begin electing a mayor and mayor pro tem, but it would have been done based on seniority. Councilmember Eddie Tejeda, who served as mayor the past two years and voted in favor of the seniority-based rotation in 2023, supported restoring the nomination-based rotation Tuesday night. “Serving in the role of mayor and mayor pro tem is an honor and privilege,” Tejeda said, “and one that, in my opinion, should carry either the majority or unanimous endorsement of the members of the City Council.” Tejeda was joined by Saucedo, Shaw and Councilmember Paul Barich in voting to restore the nomination-based mayoral selection process. Barich, who also supported the seniority-based mayoral rotation in 2023, nominated Davis for mayor Tuesday but only he and Davis voted in favor and the motion failed. Tejeda then nominated Saucedo, who was elected mayor by a 4-1 vote, with Davis dissenting. The vote elicited some jeers and shouts from the audience, even one prolonged “wow.” Several audience members exited the council meeting at that point, with others calling out “the public won’t forget this,” and “disgusting.” Saucedo expressed thanks to the councilmembers who voted him in as mayor. “I think I will lead this city with integrity, collaboration and partnership,” Saucedo added. Related Articles Local News | Rialto City Council has an opening. Here’s how you can apply to fill it Local News | Is Hemet hungry for Chick-fil-A? Pop-up tent aims to find out Local News | $37 million in refunds coming after judge rules Riverside was illegally using water revenues Local News | Hemet wants Riverside County to relocate planned homeless housing center Local News | Riverside makes it easier to build ADUs in the city Also Tuesday, the council accepted the Nov. 5 election results. Shaw was sworn into office, replacing Jenna Guzman-Lowery in District 4. Barich nominated Shaw as mayor pro tem. With no other nominations, Shaw was selected. “I appreciate the opportunity to serve,” Shaw said. “We’ve got plenty to learn, but there’s a lot of work to be done and I look forward to getting after it.” Several audience members spoke about the mayoral selection process during public comment, some calling the council’s integrity into question and others applauding the changes approved Tuesday. “You’re on record as going one way and now going another,” said Rich Smith, a District 1 resident. John James, a former council member, backed selecting the mayor by council vote. “Entrusting the council with this responsibility,” he said, “ensures that the decision is made by those elected to represent the best interest of our communities.” Residents also weighed in on the matter via email to the council. “I would like you to nominate and vote for our city mayor,” Valerie Lee said in an email. “This is the most democratic way to choose the next mayor for the city of Redlands.” Iyan Barrera-Sandri, meanwhile, criticized the effort to do away with the seniority-based mayoral rotation. “In another act of poor leadership it looks like Eddie Tejeda has put another shortsighted agenda item for the council,” Barrera-Sandri said in an email. The matter “is the pullback of analready agreed upon process without fully implementing it.” Davis later took to social media to discuss the council’s action. “The council voted to revert back to our old system of selecting a mayor, which is just frankly, an old boy’s club system of where you vote for your favorite person to be mayor,” Davis said on her Instagram after Tuesday’s meeting. She said personal bias played a role in the choice for mayor, and noted that she and Tejeda have been working on their relationship with a city-hired mediator. Tejeda, who in 2023 said he would nominate Davis for mayor in 2024, said in a phone call Wednesday “nobody wants to hinder anybody’s opportunity to be the mayor.” The council is “not interested in stoking the flames of division,” said Tejeda, who did not respond to questions about mediation with Davis. “We’re supposed to be a team,” he added. “We want to be led by somebody who’s going to continue the team mentality.” Davis did not respond to requests for additional comment by early afternoon Wednesday.