Local and state dignitaries attended Tuesday night's city reorganization ceremony, held in the Grand Ballroom at the in Agoura Hills.
A new mayor and mayor pro tem of Agoura Hills were announced, council members were sworn in and outgoing Mayor Harry Schwarz gave his State of the City address during the proceedings. In addition, the City Council bid farewell to 16-year Councilman .
During his State of the City address, Schwarz spoke of such positive elements as a 2011 balanced budget, the land purchase for the on near City Hall, the and the approval of the . He also discussed the city's
After a year of service as mayor, Schwarz received honors from such dignitaries as state Sen. Fran Pavley, Assemblywoman Julia Brownley and County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky.
"[Being mayor] has really created a depth to my soul," Schwarz told Patch. "I've learned a lot. So, this is a mixed-emotion evening for me."
Among his many honors, outgoing Councilman Kuperberg received a "roasting" from City Engineer Ramiro Adeva, which drew an uproarious response from the audience.
Kuperberg gave a speech in which he thanked his family, friends and the community for giving him the "incredible opportunity" to serve his community.
Trader Joe's was proclaimed "business of the year" by Schwarz. The store's manager, Johan Patterson, accepted the award.
Council members and were sworn in by Judge Lawrence Mira.
Buckley Weber told Patch during the meeting that one of her goals was to improve the condition of Agoura's creek.
"I'd like to naturalize it; clean it up," she said. "The long-range goal would be to create a meandering pathway alongside it, so people can fully enjoy it."
Following a brief election on the dais, Mayor John Edelston, who previously served as mayor in 2007-08, and Mayor Pro Tem Denis Weber were sworn in.
As he took the reigns as incoming mayor, Edelston reiterated the city's mission statement and said that he is "very optimistic" about Agoura's future.
