San Clemente Gets a New Mayor: Tim Brown

San Clemente City Councilman Tim Brown was named mayor for the coming year at Tuesday’s meeting.

To cheers from his children and applause from the audience, Brown, elected in 2010, said he’s grateful to have been preceded by so many dedicated, faithful and diligent leaders of the past.

“I’m grateful to the City Council for the trust in being able to assume this position,” Brown said. “There’s more that unites us than divides us. We love this city so much,” he said calling San Clemente “one of the greatest cities on the planet.”

That automatically makes the residents “uniquely smart that we live here,” he said, choking up at times.

The mayor’s position in San Clemente is largely ceremonial and typically rotated among council members. Chris Hamm was voted in as mayor pro tem, who steps in when the mayor is unavailable.

Outgoing Mayor Bob Baker said he looked forward to the year ahead.

“Everyone asks you, ‘What’s the best part of being the mayor?’ The best part of being the mayor is handing out plaques right over there (pointing to the podium in council chambers) to people who’ve done great things for our community. … 

"There are so many people in this town that do great things. It’s an honor to be able to recognize them right there at that podium. It’s a great thing, and you’re going to have a wonderful time doing it, Tim, I guarantee it.”

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