John J. Duran Gets Sworn-in as Mayor of WeHo and John D’Amico as Mayor Pro Tempore

John J. Duran was sworn-in as the new mayor of West Hollywood and John D’Amico became the new Mayor Pro Tempore. The Oath of Office ceremony was administered during the City of West Hollywood’s annual City Council Reorganization and Installation meeting, which took place this year on Monday, May 21, 2018 at 1OAK, located in West Hollywood on the Sunset Strip.

This is the forth time Duran has been sworn-in as mayor of the city. His Oath of Office was administered by Singer/Songwriter Eddie Money; Mayor Pro Tempore D’Amico’s Oath of Office was administered by West Hollywood City Clerk Yvonne Quarker.

Duran vowed to continuing to work with his colleagues on parking shortages in neighborhoods, addressing poverty, continue to do the work around the construction of phase II of West Hollywood Park, bringing the Metro rail to the city of West Hollywood, tackling the issues of homelessness, working to reduce HIV transmission to zero new transmissions in the city, implementing new earthquake retrofit policy, and implementing the first cannabis ordinance in the city.

He then took those in attendance on a historical journey down the Sunset Strip with a memorable speech that weaved stories from the days of prohibition, segregation, to the Golden Age of Hollywood to the grunge of its rock-n-roll history, to the birth of a resist movement, and throughout that history he pointed out how people complained about the traffic and the noise, and the lights, and the music, and the alcohol, the lewd sexual morals on the Sunset Strip. “Sunset, like the people of West Hollywood, remains creative, colorful, outlandish, garish, outrageous, extreme, nonconforming, sexual, giddy, joyous-feeling, with laughter and romance and sex and lights and noise and traffic and most of all music, every night of the year,” he said.

Duran revealed a new #RESIST lawn signage with the the City of West Hollywood stamp of approval, which was created by street artist Shepard Fairey, the same artist who was commissioned to paint the giant Elephant mural at the West Hollywood Library. The signs read: “In the City of West Hollywood Love is Love, Everyone is Welcome, We Respect and Support People — #Resist.” There is a link to information on the City’s website at www.weho.org/resist.

At a brief City Council meeting that took place after the installation ceremony, the West Hollywood City Council reaffirmed the City’s commitment as a Sanctuary City and its commitment to its core values, which includes respect and support for people. The City of West Hollywood, in 2017 joined cities across the nation, including the California cities of Los Angeles, Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, and Richmond, in calling on the U.S. House of Representatives to initiate proceedings for the impeachment of President Donald J. Trump.

A community reception followed the city council meeting at the patio of the Rainbow Bar & Grill.

Mayor John J. Duran is a native Angeleno and has been a resident of West Hollywood since 1990. He has been an elected member of the West Hollywood City Council since 2001 and this is his fourth term as Mayor. He is a recognized national leader on HIV/AIDS issues and on LGBT equality. He is a strong defender of nightlife entertainment districts in West Hollywood and he resides near the Sunset Strip. He is a proponent for physical and mental health issues; addiction and recovery services; the promotion of fine arts and cultural events; tenant protections and affordable housing; strong economic development policies; historic preservation efforts; transportation programs; public safety; and is champion for the protection of animals. Mayor Duran has a Juris Doctorate degree from Western State University College of Law and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from California State University Long Beach (CSULB). He has been a lawyer in private practice since 1987 and he is National Chairman of NALEO (the National Association of Latino Elected Officials).

Mayor Pro Tempore John D’Amico has been a resident of West Hollywood for more than 25 years. First elected in 2011, he served one term as Mayor from 2014 to 2015. Cities are never finished and West Hollywood is no exception: expanding culture making opportunities, creating elevated design and resiliency standards, and participating in long-term, city-wide planning efforts that improve and protect housing options for everyone at every level are at the center of Mayor Pro Tempore D’Amico’s work. He holds two Master’s Degrees, one in Architecture and Urban Planning from the University of Houston, and the other in Aesthetics and Politics from the California Institute of the Arts. He has more than 20 years of experience in large-scale project planning and management at UCLA, ABC, the Walt Disney Studios, and the affordable housing developer, Los Angeles Housing Partnership.

West Hollywood works diligently to defend the fundamental rights of its community members including LGBT people, people with disabilities, seniors, people of color, immigrants, women, and others. The city is one of the most outspoken advocates anywhere for the legal rights of LGBT people; more than 40 percent of residents in West Hollywood identify as LGBT. The city also prides itself on being a safe space. Regardless of nationality or immigration status, the City of West Hollywood has a commitment to promoting social justice and equal rights.

For additional information about Mayor John J. Duran and the West Hollywood City Council, visit weho.org, or call (323) 848-6460.