The City of Cathedral City has inaugurated Mark Carnevale as mayor and councilmember Nancy Ross as mayor pro tem. The swearing-in ceremony took place during a special council session on December 13, with family and friends in attendance.
In an article published on DiscoverCathedralCity.com, Carnevale expressed his gratitude towards former mayor Rita Lamb for her leadership and service. "Lamb led the city through Tropical Storm Hilary, a storm system that caused approximately $126 million in damage in Riverside County," he said.
The same article on DiscoverCathedralCity.com also explained that the position of Cathedral City's mayor rotates every December. Notably, this is not Carnevale's first term as mayor; he previously held the position in 2019.
According to the official website of the City of Cathedral City, Carnevale was elected to the city council in November 2014. Besides his previous stint as mayor, he has also served as mayor pro tem. Carnevale has been a member of various committees under the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG), including the executive committee, homeless committee, and transportation committee. He has also been part of the Riverside County Transportation Commission, the ERICA Board of Directors, and served as a board member for CVAG Public Safety. Alongside his political career, Carnevale and his wife Rhonda run Nicolino’s Italian Restaurant in Cathedral City - a family-owned eatery operating since 1985.
The City of Cathedral City’s website further revealed that Ross was elected as councilmember in November 2020, making her the first representative for Cathedral City’s District 2. Prior to this role, she served on the Cathedral City Public Arts Commission and on task forces addressing cannabis and homelessness issues. She also championed causes such as marriage equality, death with dignity, and medical marijuana legalization during her tenure as director of the American Civil Liberties Union.