Mulchay selected to serve in Camarillo's highest elected office
Shawn Mulchay is Camarillo’s next mayor.
The City Council selected the lifelong Camarillo resident at its yearly reorganization meeting Wednesday, which also brings to an end Charlotte Craven’s eighth term as mayor.
“I will lead with candor, humor, humility, a healthy dose of youthful exuberance,” said Mulchay who previously held the title of vice mayor. “I’ll work diligently to keep our meetings efficient and moving. Charlotte, you're a great example of that, and on schedule.”
The City Council also chose Susan Santangelo as vice mayor during the meeting, filling the seat left vacant by Mulchay.
Mulchay was elected to the Council in 2018 as an at-large representative of Camarillo, according to the city’s website. He will serve as mayor for one year until his four-year term on the City Council expires in December.
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He has represented Camarillo on multiple boards, including the Association of Water Agencies of Ventura County and the California Contract Cities Association, but his interest in public policy-making stems from an encounter in 2002.
He was attending his first Camarillo City Council meeting as a sophomore at Camarillo High School on behalf of the Key Club. The club was being honored with a certificate for its volunteerism.
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It was Craven, who was serving as the city’s mayor, who presented Mulchay with the certificate.
“After shaking (her) hand and receiving that certificate and taking my seat out there, I got to thinking, ‘Who is that lady and who are these people up here and what exactly do they do?’” Mulchay said. “That encounter sparked a curiosity in me and has, in a roundabout way, materialized into today.”
When her ninth term on the City Council comes to an end in December after 36 years of serving her community, Craven will step down as the city's longest-serving city council member, according to city spokesperson Michelle Glueckert D’Anna.
“When you think of the leadership of Camarillo your name just comes with it,” Santangelo said to Craven who was first elected to the council in 1986.
During the last three decades, Craven has represented Camarillo on about six different boards and has been a part of approximately 10 local organizations, like Camarillans for Affordable Housing and the Camarillo Family YMCA, according to the city's website.
In some of her last remarks as mayor, Craven commended the city and its residents for continuing to push through the pandemic and thanked city staff for their dedication to the community.
“I think the city is coming out very strong,” Craven said. “I think it’s because of all of us and all of our staff.”
Brian J. Varela covers Oxnard, Port Hueneme and Camarillo. He can be reached at brian.varela@vcstar.com or 805-477-8014. You can also find him on Twitter @BrianVarela805.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Camarillo City Council chooses Mulchay as mayor
