City Council to discuss Conlosh’s replacement

Torus Tammer

FOUNTAIN VALLEY -- The City Council will take its first official steps

to replace former Councilman Chuck Conlosh by placing two options on the

agenda at next week’s meeting.

City Manager Ray Kromer said the council will review the two choices

-- either by holding a special election or by having a special

appointment.

“The council will take a course of action at the [Tuesday] meeting by

choosing one of those options,” Kromer said. “The option that is chosen

will be executed at the following council meeting which will be on March

20.”

Last week, Conlosh forfeited his seat as a Fountain Valley council

member because he had failed, without permission, to appear at a council

meeting for 60 consecutive days.

City Atty. Alan Burns said that by law, it is necessary to expedite

the matter and have a decision made no later than 30 days from when the

vacancy occurred.

“An appointment is a relatively simple process,” Burns said. “But if

an election was to happen, it would require that the council call for the

election within certain time limits.”

According to the Orange County Registrar of Voters, the cost for a

special election would be between $1.25 and $2.00 per registered voter in

the city, or between $37,736 and $60,378.

As of Feb. 15, there were 30,189 registered voters in Fountain Valley.