IMPERIAL BEACH, Calif. (KGTV) — The Imperial Beach City Council has appointed Councilmember Mitch McKay as the city's next mayor in a 3-1 vote, opting against holding a special election that would have cost the city between $250,000 and $400,000.
McKay will fill the vacancy left by former Mayor Paloma Aguirre, who recently took her seat on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.
"I will graciously accept the nomination," McKay said during Wednesday night's council meeting.
Despite numerous residents speaking at the meeting in favor of a special election, the council moved forward with the appointment.
Officials noted that an election wouldn't have taken place until next April.
McKay emphasized that this is a critical time to address Imperial Beach's most pressing issues, particularly the ongoing Tijuana sewage crisis.
"With the additional pressure of Supervisor Aguirre now at the county level, we got a one-two punch here," McKay said. "We got somebody at the county level. She has the ears of the folks in Sacramento, D.C."
McKay is scheduled to take the oath of office on Aug. 20 and will serve the remainder of Aguirre's term, which ends in November 2025.
Meanwhile, the council has not yet decided how to fill the vacancy that will be left by McKay's move to the mayor's position.
