When Aide Castro was sworn in Tuesday night as Lynwood’s new mayor, she took a deep breath.
“I reflect that this is the beginning of my last year on the Council,” she said. “I want to spend the year doing things that help our residents understand their city government better.”
She has some ideas how to get the work of the Council and the city administration closer to the people.
Coffee with The Mayor
Mayor Castro will meet with the public on the first Tuesday of every month at the Seniors Center.
“Many of our seniors are unable to attend the City Council meetings which are held at night, so I’ll meet with them with some of our city department heads, essentially bringing our government to them,” she said.
She will review what has happened at the Council in the last month and listen to what’s on their mind.
The first Coffee with the Mayor is set for Tuesday January 7 at the Lynwood Senior Citizen Center at 11329 Ernestine Ave.
Quarterly Town Halls
“We are going to the put the City Council on the move and go to our residents rather than them always having to come to us,” she said.
So the Council and key city staff will meet quarterly in the community.
The first session will be held, probably in late January, in the neighborhood near Burke/Ham Park where a new playground is being finished.
“We can show them the progress, other projects we have planned and find out what else is on their minds
Council Meeting Response
When someone comes to the Council meeting to air a complaint, the appropriate city department head will immediately meet with that resident and work to solve the issue that was raised.
“We are going to go even further with that,” said Mayor Castro.” Our staff will follow up with a letter that will address the issue the resident raised. It can only help us serve our residents better.”
A reminder the City Council meets on the first and third Tuesdays of every month. In addition to selecting Ms. Castro as Mayor the Council selected Jorge Casanova as Mayor Pro Tem. They will each serve one year in those positions.