As it does every January, Sunnyvale swore in a new vice mayor, with Councilmember Richard Mehlinger replacing Linda Sell in the role this year. “It’s been a pleasure working with you for the past three years … you’ve shown compassion, you’ve shown an effort to make our community a little bit better,” said Sunnyvale Mayor Larry Klein to Mehlinger at Tuesday’s meeting. “I look forward to the partnership.”Selected by the Sunnyvale City Council from within its ranks to serve a one year term, the vice mayor runs closed session meetings and study sessions, and in the absence of the mayor takes on the those duties. During a meeting on Jan. 13, the City Council selected Mehlinger, who was the sole candidate, nominated by Sell, the outgoing vice mayor who stepped down from the position. Mehlinger was elected to the City Council in 2022, when he became only the second openly queer councilmember elected to Sunnyvale City Council.