West Hollywood said goodbye to a major part of its city council’s history on Monday, sending off its two longest-standing members.

Attorney Gloria Allred administered the oath of office last Monday to new West Hollywood City Councilwoman Lindsey Horvath. (photo by Jon Viscott/Image courtesy of West Hollywood)

Council members Abbe Land and John Heilman were both presented keys to the city, before stepping down and allowing newly elected members Lauren Meister and Lindsey Horvath to take the dais. Councilman John D’Amico, who received the most votes in the March 3 election, began his second term.

The moment was emotional for the two outgoing council members, who served on the council for all (Heilman) or the majority (Land) of the city’s existence.

“Your extraordinary hard work on behalf of all of us has paid off,” D’Amico said. “This is an actual place and it is a place because of your hard work.”

“To be saying goodbye to my colleagues John and Abbe today, it’s not easy,” Councilman John Duran said. “John and Abbe have been here the entire time. So much of the goodness and prosperity … is attributable to their efforts. I wish [newer residents] could have seen the city of West Hollywood 30 years ago, long before it is what it is today. People clamored to become a resident here because they know they will be taken care of.”

Land said she has many great memories from her two stints on the council.

“I’m just so proud of all the things that have been accomplished … and they have been accomplished by so many people working together in West Hollywood,” she said.

As she leaves the city council, Land said she will put her full-time efforts into leading The Trevor Project as its executive director and CEO, a position she took several years ago. The organization has a mission to end suicide among LGBT youth.

“The work is needed now more than ever,” she said.

Outgoing West Hollywood City Council members Abbe Land and John Heilman (right) were given keys to the city by remaining council members John Duran (left) and John D’Amico. (photo by Jon Viscott/Image courtesy of West Hollywood)

Heilman, who has served on the city council since its first meeting 30 years ago, has a more uncertain future. It is possible Monday was his last council meeting, but he is running in the June 2 special election. Land commended her friend for their time together on the council.

“We were a little younger when we first met and I don’t think either of us could imagine how entwined our lives would be in the last 30 years,” she said.

“So much of what I wanted to say, she’s already said, and probably articulated better than I ever could,” Heilman added. “I really feel like West Hollywood is a family and it is my family. I’m so appreciative that you’ve let me be a part of this family for so long.”

Heilman concluded with a request of the people of West Hollywood.

“I ask you to give our new and continuing council members all your support, all your kindness, all your compassion and all your assistance,” he said.

After D’Amico, Meister and Horvath took their oaths of office, Duran made a motion that was passed unanimously to name Horvath as the new mayor and Meister as the mayor pro tempore for the coming year.

Duran has recently been the subject of controversy. Earlier this month, he acknowledged having sex once with his deputy Ian Owens, well before hiring him. Owens is currently on paid leave and is being investigated by the city and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department for an incident regarding the election.

The titles are ceremonial in West Hollywood, and have traditionally rotated each year among the council members. Had the council remained the same after the election, Heilman and Duran would have been next in the rotation. Duran said on Tuesday that he has been mayor three times, and that he was happy to pass the honor to the new council members, which will give him more time to work on his law practice.

Duran, who helped raise money for a political expenditure campaign that mailed attack mailers against Meister during the election, said he and the new mayor pro tempore had buried the hatchet. He also denied that he had anything to do with the content of the mailers.

“I can tell the community that we had a wonderful lunch,” he said. “We talked about the issues where we probably would find agreement and agreed to be civilized and treat each other with respect on the council.”

All of the council members noted that they wanted to start this term by working together.

“While change is scary, it is necessary to move forward,” Meister said. “My hope first and foremost is that we can change how this body interacts and that we make a commitment for all of us to work together to move West Hollywood forward.”

As her first move on the council, Meister introduced a measure to declare Cesar Chavez Day a parking meter free day, which was supported by her peers.

Horvath, who had previously been appointed to the council in 2009 after the death of Councilman Sal Guarriello, said she was happy to be back serving residents.

“I am energized and honored to be serving the people of West Hollywood again,” she said. “My desire is to build bridges among those of us who don’t always agree and to seek common ground, which is one of the primary reasons I decided to run.”

D’Amico thanked the voters for their support of his second term, and said people would be seeing a new era in the city — a West Hollywood City Council 2.0.