Malibu City Council swears in Mikke Pierson as new mayor and Skylar Peak as mayor pro tem

Malibu Mayor Pro Tem Mikke Pierson was sworn in as the City’s new Mayor during the City Council meeting on Monday, July 13, 2020, which was held virtually via video conference. Mayor Pierson had his oath of office administered by his wife, Maggie. He takes over the role from former Mayor Karen Farrer, who served as Mayor since September 2019.

“I am honored to serve my community as Mayor, even more so during a time when we face so many difficult and important issues,” Pierson said. “My immediate priorities as Mayor are helping the community get through the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, keep our local businesses healthy, continuing our efforts to address homelessness in a real way, being more prepared for the next big wildfire and continuing the Woolsey Fire rebuild efforts. Over the longer term, I want to find ways to improve PCH safety, mobility, parking and beach crowds because PCH plays such a central role in our community’s daily quality of life.”

“I want to thank everyone who has supported me and helped me fulfill the challenging and important role of Mayor,” Farrer said. “I also want to congratulate Mikke, offer my support as he takes the baton, and I look forward to working with him and the City Council to serve the community during these extraordinarily difficult times.”

Pierson, a business coach whose family has lived in Malibu since the 1950s, also served for six years on the Malibu Planning Commission and a year on the Public Works Commission. He has been dedicating his efforts on the City Council towards helping Malibu’s small business owners recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2018 Woolsey Fire, helping residents rebuild after the Woolsey Fire, strengthening environmental protections, eliminating the use of rodenticides and pesticides, community-wide wildfire and disaster preparedness and efforts to address homelessness in the community.

Pierson and Farrer were both elected to the Council in the November 6, 2018 General Election.

During the July 13 Council meeting, Councilmember Skylar Peak was sworn in as Mayor Pro Tem. His oath was administered by City Clerk Heather Glaser. Peak was first elected to the City Council in April 2012, and previously served as Mayor from March, 2014 to January, 2015.

The Oath of Office was administered at 16:13 in the video of the July 13 City Council meeting.