Judy O’Rourke, staff writer for the Daily News Santa Clarita edition reports that sixteen candidates applied by Monday’s deadline to be considered for appointment to a vacancy on the Santa Clarita City Council.
The council, due to name its choice Dec. 8, opted to appoint rather than call a special election to replace Councilman Cameron Smyth, elected earlier this month to the state Assembly.
City spokeswoman Gail Ortiz said this marks the first time the council has had to fill a vacancy of this kind and that officials are “thrilled” by the cross section of applicants.
The applicants are former mayor and five-term City Councilman Carl Boyer; Planning Commissioners Diane Trautman and Bill Kennedy; Parks and Recreation Commission chairwoman Laurie Ender; Paul Strickland, on the board of the William S. Hart Union High School District; Dr. Gene Dorio; Timothy Ben Boydston, executive director of the Canyon Theatre Guild; Maria Gutzeit, president of the Newhall County Water District board; Michael Cruz and Mark Hershey, who ran unsuccessfully for the council in April; Robert Spierer, a retired Sheriff’s station commander; Wendy Hahn, a retired California Highway Patrol officer; Bill Bolde, principal of Saugus High School; former city employee Nancy Delange; businessman Michael Lyons; and Alan Favish.
Read the entire story here: http://www.dailynews.com/santaclarita/ci_4731952