Tonight, Fullerton got a new mayor.
The shift in control comes after months of controversy and disagreement over the city council members' actions — and inactions — in the weeks and months after Kelly Thomas' beating death.
In a 5-0 vote, Sharon Quirk-Silva became the city's new mayor. She's preceded by F. Richard Jones, who will remain on the council. Tonight, however, he left the city council meeting soon after Quirk-Silva took the helm.
With a 3-2 vote, Pat McKinley became Mayor Pro Tem. (Quirk-Silva and Bruce Whitaker were the dissenting votes.)
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Ron Thomas, Kelly's father, says almost everyone in the packed council chambers cheered for Quirk-Silva, who he calls an “ally” in the fight for Kelly's justice.
“It's all part of rebuilding. New blood. It's time to change Fullerton,” Thomas says. “Sharon talked about righting the wrongs and moving forward in a positive direction.”
The public reading of the Weekly cover story about the Fullerton Police Department came after Quirk-Silva took over on the dais.
