Culver City Marks Historic Night with Selection of Mayor, City Manager

Published on December 09, 2025

On Monday, Culver City marked a historic moment as the City Council selected new leadership in front of a large crowd within the Mike Balkman Council Chambers.

Council Member Freddy Puza was unanimously voted to become Culver City's Mayor for 2026, becoming the first openly LGBTQ+ Mayor in Culver City’s 108-year history. Mayor Puza was first elected in 2022 as a City Council Member. He will serve as Mayor for a 12-month term.

Council Member Bubba Fish was unanimously voted to become Vice Mayor, forming the City’s first openly LGBTQ+ Mayor–Vice Mayor leadership duo. Vice Mayor Fish was first elected as a City Council Member in 2024.

The City Council also unanimously approved Odis Jones as Culver City’s next City Manager. He will succeed John Nachbar, who served the community with distinction for 15 years. Jones brings more than 30 years of executive leadership experience across complex local and state governments, including City Manager, CEO, and Executive Director in Texas, Ohio, Michigan, and New Jersey. His career reflects deep expertise in economic development, public finance, organizational leadership, and major infrastructure and redevelopment initiatives. Throughout his career, he has emphasized transparency, equity, community engagement, and collaborative leadership as core principles of his management approach. You can read more about Jones.

"This is a new day in Culver City and I’m honored to work with the new City Manager to create new opportunities and way of operating in the city," said Mayor Puza. "The past, the present, and the future, they’re all right here, right now. Every decision made before us created the city we love today. We honor that. But we also remember what we were. We were a sundown town. That’s our history. We don’t get to forget it. We don’t get to pretend it didn’t happen. We’re not responsible for the sins of the past. But we are absolutely responsible for the future we build. And the decisions we make this year will echo for decades. That’s not hyperbole. That’s the job. And I promise you, I will treat it with the seriousness it deserves. To everyone who has ever lived here, worked here, invested in this city: you’re part of Culver City’s story. You matter."

In his remarks, Puza emphasized that Culver City stands firmly with immigrant families, LGBTQ+ residents, and tenants, pledging that the City will actively protect civil rights and human dignity.

He outlined his three major priorities for the coming months: advancing affordability and sustainability through stronger housing and climate initiatives, strengthening fiscal responsibility with clearer budgeting and public transparency, and raising Culver City’s profile by promoting the city as a true destination. He emphasized that each effort is aimed at ensuring stability, belonging, and opportunity for all residents.

"It’s a new day in Culver City. Let’s meet this moment with courage. With conviction. With a unified vision of what this city can be," Puza said.

You can watch Monday's City Council meeting in its entirety on the City YouTube channel. Mayor Puza will lead the next scheduled City Council meeting on January 12, 2026.