On Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020, Indio held its annual rotation of mayors, with Glenn Miller (center), passing the gavel to Elaine Holmes for 2021. Mayor Pro Tem will be Waymond Fermon (left).
Mayor Holmes was born and raised in Glendale, California. She earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from California State University Long Beach. She owns PJ’s Desert Trophies & Gifts in downtown Indio. Her business background includes managing international contracts and teaming agreements for companies such as Sprint and Fluor Daniel.
Mayor Holmes has been a part of the Indio City Council since 2010 and has been mayor in 2012-13, 2016-17 and now 2020-21. She is currently involved in boards and commissions including the Indio Water Authority, Valley Sanitary District, the Governing Board of JFK Hospital and the Woman’s Club of Indio.
This will be Mayor Pro Tem Waymond Fermon’s first time to rotate into this position with the Indio City Council. Elected for the first time in 2018, Mayor Pro Tem Fermon was born in Indio, graduating from Indio High School in 1998. He attended College of the Desert’s first Public Safety Academy and graduated from the California Department of Corrections, Richard McGee Correctional Training Center, as a Correctional Officer in October 2002. Mayor Pro Tem Fermon has worked various positions at Calipatria State Prison in Imperial County, and collaborated alongside multiple local, state and federal law enforcement agencies as an active member of the California Gang Task Force.
A product of his community and former student-athlete, Mayor Pro Tem Fermon has a passion for supporting local youth sport and academic pipeline programs. He has been active in numerous outreach programs throughout the Coachella and Imperial Valleys such as school fundraisers, Career Day, guest speaking engagements, and is currently spearheading an outreach program with troubled and at-risk youth.