Culver City Council unanimously selects Goran Eriksson as Mayor
By Sam Catanzaro
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic dominating headlines, on Monday Culver City selected a new Mayor as Meghan Sahli-Wells’ term comes to an end.
On Tuesday, April 27 during a remote City Council meeting, Culver City councilmembers selected Goran Eriksson to be the new Mayor of Culver City, effective immediately.
“Thank you to all of my colleagues. While we have not always agreed on every issue, I am honored to work with such a dedicated group of people,” Eriksson said. “This city is a special place with amazing people and incredible organizations. Never has that been more evident than in recent weeks when our community has pulled together to support each other during this unprecedented COVID-19 outbreak. Neighbors are helping neighbors. Those who can afford it are helping those who cannot. Our city employees are rolling up their sleeves to make sure our city continues to run.”
Also at the meeting, Alex Fisch was selected as Vice Mayor. Both Eriksson and Fisch will serve their terms from now until the November City Council election.
Before Eriksson was voted in as mayor unanimously, Sahli-Wells took some time to thank her colleagues.
“The year hasn’t turned out the way any of us on the planet would have wanted but we have been facing this challenge together and for that, I am absolutely grateful,” Sahli-Wells said. “It’s really breathtaking the dedication, the creativity, the late nights and the care with which our Culver City staff does their work.”
Looking ahead, Ericksson acknowledged that there will be challenges, both social and economic, grappling with the COVID-19 outbreak.
“The next few months promise to be some of the most challenging in the history of our city. Financially we are facing unprecedented global economic impacts from which the city is not immune. We will have to be creative and intelligent in how we plan for the future and how we deal with the present. Every dollar matters and we must do everything we can to keep our city headed in the right direction. At the same time, we face health uncertainties. When can our businesses begin working again? What new precautions will we have to take to keep everyone safe? What will the new normal look like? No one is certain about any of this, but I do know it will be a challenge and I know it is a challenge that Culver City is up to. We will get through this and get through stronger on the other side,” Eriksson said.
Eriksson, who earned his Master of Science degree in Computers and Electronics at LTH, University of Lund, Sweden, spent over 30 years in the private sector involved in international sales, marketing and business development before being elected to Culver City City Council in 2016.
During his first time on council, Erikkson served as the Current Vice President of the California Independent Cities Association, member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for the National League of Cities and Co-Chair of the National League of Cities Aviation Subcommittee.
