FOUNTAIN VALLEY : Council Can’t Agree on Voss Successor

City Council members deadlocked Tuesday in efforts to replace ousted Councilman Fred Voss, finally deciding to leave his seat vacant.

When voters ousted Voss on Nov. 7, they also chose to replace him by council appointment rather than special election. But City Atty. Alan R. Burns said Tuesday that he believes that the council fulfilled its duty by attempting twice to appoint a replacement.

Acting Mayor Laurann Cook and Councilman James E. Neal both voted for John Collins because he was the runner-up in the last election. Council members James Petrikin and George Scott both supported John McKnight because they had both worked with him on city commissions.

Burns said he did not think a four-member council will pose a problem, “because the council members are not sharply divided on any issues other than this one.”