The San Gabriel City Council with Debbie Cordero, honored as the 2026 Outstanding Older American (Photo – cityofsangabriel)
The San Gabriel City Council held a special meeting on April 21 to mark leadership transitions and community recognitions.
By Zamourad Iqbal
Eric L. Chan was selected as the new Mayor and Tony Ding as Vice Mayor, both elected by acclamation and sworn in during the meeting. Representatives from Congresswoman Judy Chu, State Senator Sasha Renée Pérez, Assemblymember Mike Fong, and neighboring cities offered congratulatory remarks.
Mayor Chan thanked his colleagues for their confidence, saying he looked forward to serving residents, businesses, and visitors with humility and pride. “I’m grateful and honored that my colleagues up here on the San Gabriel City Council have placed their faith in me to carry out the duties of mayor for the coming year… It really warms my heart. I look forward to continuing to work with my council colleagues and city staff to proudly and humbly serve all the residents, businesses, and visitors of San Gabriel, taking more responsibility for my new role as your mayor,” Chan said.
Outgoing Mayor Denise Menchaca was honored for her historic service as the first Latino elected to the council and for her leadership during the pandemic, including the city’s vaccine distribution partnership. She reflected on accomplishments in public health, infrastructure, business support, and cultural programming.
Vice Mayor Ding expressed surprise and gratitude at being selected for a second term, noting the unique challenges of his first term during the pandemic.
Vice Mayor Ding shared his thoughts on being selected for a second term as Vice Mayor following the pandemic.
The council also celebrated San Gabriel’s 113th birthday and issued a proclamation recognizing the city’s Spanish origins.
Debbie Cordero was named the city’s Outstanding Older American of 2026 for her decades of community service, including work with the Veterans Memorial Coalition and local health initiatives.
“People would say, my mom and dad, if you see something that needs to be done, just do it. Don’t wait for someone to ask you to do it. And I think that’s how maybe I got here. So thank you, everyone. I appreciate this award,” Cordero said.
The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 5.
San Gabriel celebrates its 113th birthday with a sweet slice of history (Photo – cityofsangabriel)
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