Political newcomer Todd Kounse won Hollywood Park’s lone City Council race on May 7.

Kounse beat fellow political neophyte Michael Hall with 67.8% of the total vote.

Kounse will succeed Place 2 Council Member Debbie Trueman, who declined a re-election bid.

In a candidate forum, Kounse said he wants to serve his community that he said he and his family have come to embrace since moving to town in 2009.

Kounse also said he wants to help the council overcome some tensions that have developed between city government and residents over certain recent local issues.

“I think this is a good time to do that. There’s been a lot of animosity that’s been going on, a lot of ‘us vs. them,’ and I want to get rid of that and just help focus on the community activities that we love,” Kounse said at the forum.

Place 1 Council Member Sean Moore was the lone candidate for mayor, succeeding Oscar Villarreal, who opted against filing for a full term as the city’s top elected leader.

Moore thanked residents for their support of his mayoral candidacy.

"It's a pleasure to live in Hollywood Park and a privilege to serve the needs of our wonderful community and I look forward to working with the citizens and City Council to further strengthen our independence as a town and preserve the characteristics of our community that we all cherish," Moore said.

Eligible Hollywood Park residents have until May 10 to apply with the city secretary's office for the imminent Place 1 vacancy.

Some current elected officials said they prefer the new council to look at the Place 1 applicants and determine how best to fill the empty council seat.

Wendy Gonzalez was unopposed in running for council Place 4, where Delaine Hall declined a re-election bid.

"I promise to be civil, to listen, and to act with the good of the community as a whole at the forefront of my mind," Gonzalez said after the votes were counted.

In addition, all four candidates voiced support for the city’s measure on the May 7 ballot to reauthorize a local sales tax at one-fourth of 1% of total sales tax charged to fund regular street maintenance.