City Council on Monday elected Councilman Alonzo Jones as mayor and Councilman Lee Vogler as vice mayor. They will serve as mayor and vice mayor for the next two years.
Jones takes over as mayor for Councilman John Gilstrap, who had served as mayor for two years, but earlier this year did not seek re-election to City Council. Jones has been on Council for eight years and served as vice mayor for the past two years. This will be his first term as mayor.
Vogler was first elected to City Council in May 2012, becoming the youngest person ever elected to that position, at age 24. Vogler was re-elected in May 2016. This will be his first term as vice mayor.
Their selection as mayor and vice mayor took place during an organizational meeting. The meeting is held every two years for the public swearing-in of winners of the City Council election held in May, selection of a mayor and vice mayor and issuance of seat assignments for each Council meeting.
The mayor and vice mayor positions are elected by sitting City Council members to serve two-year terms.
Councilman James Buckner nominated Jones as mayor. Jones was elected by a unanimous vote.
Councilman Adam Tomer nominated Vogler as vice mayor. Vogler also was elected by a unanimous vote.
City Council is the governing body of the City of Danville. It is composed of nine people, elected at large for four-year staggered terms.
In May of this year, Jones, Buckner and Dr. Gary Miller won re-election. They were joined in taking the oath of office on Monday by Tomer, who won election in May for his third term on Council. Tomer served on City Council from 2006 to 2014, but did not seek re-election in 2014.
Jones, Buckner, Miller and Tomer will serve as council members to June 30, 2022.
Vogler and the other members of Council — L. G. “Larry” Campbell Jr., Sherman Saunders, Fred Shanks and Madison Whittle — will serve to June 30, 2020.
Following the election of mayor and vice mayor, seating positions for every council member except the mayor was determined Monday by a random drawing. Council members must maintain the positions drawn for each meeting until the next inaugural meeting in two years.