The Haftarah reading follows the Torah reading on each Sabbath and on Jewish festivals and fast days. Typically, the haftarah is thematically linked to the parasha (Torah portion) that precedes it. The haftarah is sung in a chant (known as trope in Yiddish or Cantillation in English). Related blessings precede and follow the Haftarah reading.
A city resident wishing to become mayor must specifically run for that office. The mayor acts as the official head of city government and presides at City Council meetings. The mayor is a voting member of the Council. The mayor also appoints Council members to City Council committees and liaison positions. In May 2000, voters approved the current election system of nine Council members elected by single-member districts and a voting mayor elected at large.
At its April 4 meeting, the Paramount City Council elected Peggy Lemons as Mayor and Diane J. Martinez as Vice Mayor. For Lemons, who has served on the Council since 1997, this will be her fifth term as mayor. This will be the sixth time that Martinez, who was first elected to the Council in 1994, has been vice mayor.