Dr. Sheng Chang has completed his three month term as mayor of Arcadia. For this centennial year, the position of mayor is a under rotation plan approved by the city council. Gary Kovacic will now be mayor for the next three months. Dr. Sheng Chang was honored as Arcadia's first Chinese-American mayor.
As part of Arcadia's 2003 centennial celebration, each council member has served as mayor for a three-month period of time. Mickey Segal will lead the city for the last three months until after the April 13 City Council election.
Arcadia City Councilman Gary Kovacic will take over as mayor at the next City Council Meeting. He will serve through October 21 and then the position will rotate to John Wuo (October 21-January 4), Mickey Segal (January 4-April 20). Gail Marshall was mayor through April 15 of this year. All council members are rotating to the position of mayor during the city's centennial.
Arcadia's Centennial (1903-2003) approaches and the Arcadia Centennial Celebration Commission is planning on a year-long, citywide celebration for the city's 100th birthday. In photo, a baseball cap to commemorate the centennial, is on sale at Arcadia Public Library.
In a Council meeting frought with political tension, Gary Kovacic was chosen for his second term as Mayor, and new-comer Mickey Segal was named Mayor pro tem.
Local residents and merchants have bought commemorative street banners which bear the inscription "Celebrating Arcadia's Centennial: 1903-2003" alongside their own name. Banners will be up January 1 and will hang until December 31, 2003.
Charles Cooper continues his Arcadia city centennial series "Memories of Arcadia" with a story about Arcadia's mayors. A. N. Multer was the first person to be given the title of mayor of Arcadia. City founder Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin was the city's first presiding officer, but he held the title of president of the Board of Trustees. The title of mayor was not adopted until 1927, when the Board of Trustees changed to the City Council. Arcadia will have 4 mayors this year to mark the city's centennial. Each city council member will rotate into the position. More interesting facts: Floretta Lauber was the first woman to serve as mayor. She paved the way for Mary Young, Barbara Kuhn, and Gail Marshall to follow. Other history of mayors is recapped. The first city manager was William J. Richards in 1951, when a charter was adopted. The longest serving city official was City Clerk Christine Van Mannen, who held the job for 32 years. See hard copy in VF Arcadia (City) History.
Newly chosen mayor Robert Harbicht outlines his goals for the city. The single accomplishment he most hopes to achieve during his term is completing designs, finding funding, and going out to bid on a contract to build a new City Hall.
Arcadia badges pay tribute to history. Arcadia Police Department employees will wear old-fashioned badges made to look like those that local lawmen pinned to their uniforms 100 years ago. The special Centennial badge will be worn during 2003.
Arcadia government officials and centennial committee members are planning a yearlong civic celebration beginning January 1, 2003. On January 18, a gala event will honor people who have served the city. The history of Arcadia's incorporation, including the decision to use August 5, 1903, as the official date, is included.
A Scots or Scottish pioneer Hugo Reid, came to Southern California in 1832, from Scotland. He was the first private owner of Rancho Santa Anita and an elementary in Arcadia carries his name.
Gloria Horstman, former library board trustee, former columnist for the Pasadena Star News, and reviewer for the Vroman's bookstore newsletter, returns to Arcadia to present a book review program in honor of the city's centennial.