DOWNEY — Councilwoman Catherine Alvarez will serve as Downey’s mayor pro tem for the remainder of the year.

Alvarez secured the title at Tuesday’s council meeting on a 3-1-1 vote, with Councilwoman Claudia M. Frometa opposed and Councilman Sean Ashton abstaining.

Per usual city council policy, the mayor pro tem seat should rotate to “the newest council member who has not yet served as mayor.” This transition usually occurs in December during the annual council restructuring.

As of now, only Councilman Mario Trujillo and Alvarez have not served as mayor yet.

Trujillo was the first council person nominated but declined the appointment. Frometa followed by nominating herself for the position but that motion failed on a 2-2-1 vote with Alvarez and Trujillo opposed and Ashton abstaining.

A largely symbolic and ceremonial role, the mayor pro tem is expected to fill in at community events, ribbon cuttings, and run council meetings when the mayor – currently Blanca Pacheco – is unavailable. It is also commonly accepted that the mayor pro tem is the next in line to serve as mayor, though that is not always the case.

Shortly after the vote making Alvarez mayor pro tem, Frometa took to social media to voice her displeasure, pointing to Alvarez’s criminal history and making some serious claims about the integrity of the final vote.

Alvarez’s criminal past includes convictions for welfare fraud, lying under oath, and shoplifting from the Michaels store at Downey Landing.

“What a disgrace for our great Downey! First time in our city’s history someone with a criminal record including fraud serves as Mayor Pro Tem. Unfortunately, tonight’s vote was planned,” Frometa wrote from her official city council Facebook page, as well in the comment section of the Downey Patriot’s original Facebook post. “It is shameful and very sad the current council has personal agendas. Corruption has arrived in Downey. Fifty years of stability and order have been thrown out the window in one election and certainly by tonight’s vote. Sad, sad night for our Downey.”

If Tuesday’s mayor pro tem vote was planned as Frometa claimed, it would be a potential violation of the Brown Act, California’s open meetings law.

Pacheco responded to Frometa’s allegations, writing on Facebook that “Nothing was planned and I am not corrupt.”

Meanwhile, Alvarez wrote her own social media post, thanking her colleagues for the appointment and for supporting the Renters’ Rights subcommittee she had requested, which will see her work alongside Trujillo to collaborate with renters and property owners.

“Thank you to my colleagues for appointing me Mayor Pro Tem, and for supporting the new Renters’ Rights Board,” Alvarez wrote. “It is an honor to represent our community and continue fighting to improve the lives of working-class families. I am honored to serve our community, and I am here for everyone in our community. Please continue to reach out to me with your issues. Onward Downey.”

Alvarez takes over the mayor pro tem role from Ashton, who relinquished the title Feb. 22 and will resign as a council member March 18.