Race in Placentia Renews Debate About Responsiveness of Council

The intense turbulence that beset Placentia city politics in the early 1980s has subsided, but this year’s election battle has renewed debate about the responsiveness of the City Council and the direction the sleepy residential community should take.

Seven candidates are running for three council seats in the Nov. 8 election.

The new round of criticism is grounded in the history of this community of 38,000, which a civic-minded group in the early 1970s named an all-American city.

The council has often been immobilized by factionalism. Some residents complain that the city is remembered most for such things as a well-publicized fistfight between two councilmen, a 2 a.m. firing of a city administrator and two recall drives to oust city officials.

Only 2 years ago, the city dropped a requirement that those wishing to speak at City Council meetings complete a form with their name, address and representation, if any, ahead of time. Previously, the city had an ordinance requiring people addressing public bodies to sign an oath swearing that they would tell the truth. That requirement was dropped in 1980. But many critical of the council say it still does not let citizens speak freely.

The old wounds continue to fester. One of this year’s candidates, George R. Bean, led one of the recall efforts and ran an unsuccessful campaign for a council seat in 1980. At the time, Bean sued the city over a decision to use parkland for the widening of a road.

Another candidate, incumbent Arthur G. Newton, an accountant and reserve police officer in Costa Mesa, was asked to run by the Placentia police officers association 4 years ago during a dispute with the previous City Council over a labor contract. Mayor John O. Tynes, a veteran who has served four terms on the council since the 1950s, was also backed by the association. He is seeking a fifth term. Incumbent George Ziegler is not seeking reelection.

This year’s election provides voters with a choice of camps: pro-council, anti-council and neutral. Voters also will decide five measures on the ballot--one of which, a proposal to increase the limit at which smaller public works contracts must be competitively bid, has also divided candidates.

George E. Petzoldt, 40, an assistant vice president of the Thrifty Corp. who ran unsuccessfully for the City Council 2 years ago, said he supports the present council’s policies and has been endorsed by Tynes, whose campaign he managed 2 years ago. He said he also has been endorsed by Newton, Ziegler and the police officers’ association, among others.

A former city planning commissioner, Petzoldt said that, if elected, he will continue to work to improve the city’s relationship with the business community, including continuing support of the city’s business development task force. He would also support more youth sports and activities programs. He said he supports Measure N, which would increase the minimum cost of public works contracts that require competitive bidding to $10,000 from $5,000. “In the last few years with the rate of inflation, it is a valid thing to do,” Petzoldt said.

Newton, 38, an accountant seeking a second term, said the present council has worked well together. But he said council meetings are still not accessible to people who want to speak out on an issue. He said he favors allowing public comment on any issue, even if it does not appear on the agenda. He supports Measure N.

Tynes, 71, a retired educator, said he would continue to support the present level of city services. He said he favors working with neighboring cities to coordinate traffic signals on Yorba Linda Boulevard and other major streets that have become clogged in recent years. He supports Measure N.

Bean, 65, an attorney and engineer, said the current council is content to let the city “remain a sleepy little town” and charged that it has let the community’s business tax base decline. Bean said he supports the concept of a business development task force but would hire an outside firm to locate businesses and “sell them on Placentia.” He also favors offering tax incentives for new developers.

Bean said he opposes Measure N and supports offering all goods and services, no matter what the cost, for bid. “If you raise the minimum, you are opening the door to favoritism,” he said.

Edward S. Houston, 49, an engineer for the federal government, has been a member of the city’s Planning Commission and is in his first council race. Houston faulted the present council for not doing enough to promote business development and said he supports incentives to attract more commercial and retail businesses. He called the present council “unresponsive” and said he supports “more open council meetings.” He said he opposes Measure N and supports keeping the current contracting policy.

James W. Kordos, 54, a retired systems manager with the county of Los Angeles, accused the present council of “living (in) the 19th Century” while letting the community’s image decline. Kordos said he would seek to establish a business public relations office within city government. He favors offering incentives to local business to upgrade property. He supports an efficiency study for all city departments and would seek to reduce the costs of city government by consolidating and eliminating some departments and positions.

Kordos said he opposes Measure N as “opening the door for corruption to seep in” and said all contracts, no matter how small, should be competitively bid.

Maria Moreno, who declined to state her age, is a teacher and a member of the Placentia Chamber of Commerce in her first council race. Moreno said the city needs a “balanced perspective on growth” and she favors strengthening businesses already in the city by “encouraging improvements in their outside appearance.”

She also supports creation of a committee to study traffic congestion in the city and would vote to institute town hall meetings where citizens could voice their concerns about specific issues. Moreno said she opposes Measure N.

The other measures on the ballot are Measure M, which would increase monthly payments to council members to $300 a month from $150; Measure O, which would increase the city clerk’s stipend to $150 a month from $75; Measure P, which would increase the city treasurer’s stipend to $50 per month from $5, and Measure Q, which would repeal a requirement that the city use a cash-basis fund for accounts.

Only Houston and Moreno said they oppose increasing compensation for council members. The candidates called the other measures “non-issues” that have generated no public opposition.

City Treasurer Carolyn H. Davis is running unopposed for reelection.

PLACENTIA CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES

Seven candidates, including two incumbents, will battle for three seats on the Placentia City Council. Voting is citywide in the Nov. 8 election. City Treasurer Carolyn H. Davis is unopposed for reelection.

Photographs of candidates Maria Moreno and George E. Petzoldt Jr. were not available.