By Brett Callwood
At a special City Council meeting on the afternoon of Thursday, July 2, Gardena saw the swearing of a new Council Member, City Clerk and City Treasurer, as well as the re-seating of Mayor Tasha Cerda and Council Member RodneyTanaka.
The recent election was certified first, with item 4A: “Election Official’s Certification Of Official Canvass Of Municipal Election Votes Resolution No. 6743, Reciting The Fact Of The General Municipal Election Held On June 2, 2026, Declaring The Results And Such Other Matters As Provided By Law. Staff Recommendation: Adopt Resolution No. 6743.”
That item passed unanimously 4-0, with outgoing council member Wanda Love absent.
Item 4B saw a commendation presented to the outgoing City Clerk Mina Semenza “in Acknowledgement and Recognition of Distinguished Service to the City and Community of Gardena as the Gardena City Clerk; and, Further, to Bestow Upon Her the Title of City Clerk Emeritus.”
Item 4C similarly saw a commendation presented to outgoing City Treasurer Gut Mato “in Acknowledgement and Recognition of Distinguished Service to the City and Community of Gardena as the Gardena City Treasurer.”
With that done, the new Oaths of Office could be taken. Becky Romero was sworn in as City Clerk by her predecessor, Semenza’s last job before handing over the reins. From there, Romero swore everyone else in.
New City Treasurer Kale Morita was first, followed by new Council Member Jeff Fukasawa. Re-elected Council Member Tanaka followed, and then it was the turn of re-elected Mayor Cerda.
As the results were looking certain, Romero told the GVN that, “I want to express my sincere thanks to everyone in our community who supported me. Even though I ran unopposed, this election has been a truly rewarding experience. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many wonderful residents, and I’m grateful for the constant encouragement from my family, friends, and colleagues. As I step into the role of City Clerk, I’m committed to ensuring that the Office of the City Clerk remains a welcoming place where every resident is treated with respect and offered clear, open access to their local government.”
Morita said, “I want to thank everyone who placed their trust in me and made their voices heard throughout this election. Thank you to those that gave me the time of day to learn more about me and what I stand for and especially those that shared their stories with me. The past couple of months have been such a unique experience where I had to push myself harder than I ever have before and it is a surreal moment for me to see the results. This was a tough fight; one that I could not have accomplished without my supporters. Once again, thank you to everyone who came out to vote.”
“Running for City Council has been an enriching and humbling experience,” Fukasawa said. “While I began this journey with a clear vision of how I wanted to serve our city, speaking with hundreds of neighbors across every corner of Gardena has given me an even deeper understanding of the needs and opportunities required to make our community better for everyone. If the current ballot positions hold and I am privileged to take the oath of office, I will be laser-focused on working with my fellow council members, city staff, and the community to bring effective solutions to our challenges.”
“Four More Years!” Tanaka said. “To all those that voted, supported, contributed, to the Gardena POA, LACo 1014 firefighters and those that endorsed me for re-election… Thank You! I will continue to do my best for the Emerald City, Gardena and the community!”
With all of the individuals sworn in, Fukasawa took his seat on the dais and the meeting was adjourned.
Measure GG, regarding long- term funding for the city of Gar- dena, passed 64.87% to 35.13%. Gardena and former city coun- cilman, assemblyman and statesenator Steve Bradford failed in his bid for Insurance Com- missioner, placing fourth with 6.53% of the votes. Jane Kim won the Insurance commission- er job with 32.02%.
