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The Danville Town Council unanimously chose Vice-Mayor Newell Arnerich to serve as mayor and Councilmember Robert Storer to serve as Vice-Mayor, a move was necessitated by the resignation of Mayor Candace Andersen when she was elected to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors.

"It's with great pleasure that I nominate a 17-year member of this council," said Storer, who nominated Arnerich.

Storer added that Arnerich -- who served as mayor in 1999, 2004 and 2009 -- possesses extraordinary value as a leader both locally and regionally. Arnerich is president of AD Architects and has sat on the Architectural Design Review Board, Planning Commission, Tri-Valley Affordable Housing Commission and the statewide Committee on Economic Development.

The new vice mayor is the council's newest member, having been appointed in 2009 following the death of Councilmember Mike Shimansky. Storer, who is president of Pellegrini Construction in San Leandro, ran in 2006 against Mr. Shimansky for the council seat but was defeated.

Andersen resigned from the mayor's post June 25 after being appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown to take office early and fill the remaining term of the late Gayle Uilkema. Andersen's move leaves a vacancy on the council that cannot be filled until November, said City Attorney Robert Ewing.

Mayor Arnerich and Vice-Mayor Storer will serve out the remainder of the current term, which ends Dec. 4.

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