Views mixed on council’s choice of Lew

Torus Tammer

FOUNTAIN VALLEY -- Some city residents are not pleased with the

procedure the City Council used to fill former Councilman Chuck Conlosh’s

seat.

The problem is disconcerting, said 30-year resident Catherine Whitney,

who added that she called Mayor Larry Crandall the day after Samuel Lew

was chosen to voice her objection to the council’s selection process.

Whitney said that she did not hear back from Crandall, rather, it was

Councilman Guy Carrozzo who responded to her call.

“I was outraged,” Whitney said. “This was one of the best campaigns I

could remember in this city where we got to know them [the candidates],

shook their hands, and then the council goes and picks someone we don’t

know.”

Whitney continued by saying that this issue is not about who was

elected, moreover, it is about the council’s process.

“It’s about the fact that we voted and it appeared like our votes

didn’t count,” Whitney said. “The candidates from the November election

put time, money and energy into campaigning, and it’s as if that was just

overlooked.”

Ken Whittoff, a city resident for 22 years, said that he has

conflicting emotions about some of the council’s decisions, adding that

he, like the candidates from November’s election, might be frustrated

after spending their time and money.

“I really trust the council that they are not pulling a fast one,”

Whittoff said. “I had no idea about Lew and knew nothing about him. In

other words, how can you knock or say anything about a person nobody

knows anything about, but they [the voters] do know about the November

candidates.”

John Briscoe, who garnered approximately 4,000 votes in the November

election, said that what he really wanted to see happen with the

appointment was the selection of the most qualified person. Although, he

said, he would have preferred the vacant seat be limited to those that

ran in November, he never really took the position that the next highest

vote-getter should have won the vacant seat.

“That theory would have presumed that if Conlosh had not run, than

Cheryl [Brothers] would have won,” Briscoe said. “Fountain Valley favors

the incumbent. I feel had he [Conlosh] not run, there would have been

more candidates in the race. I would have spent more money on my campaign

and maybe [candidate] Doug [Henry] would have too.”

Councilman John Collins said that he can understand the concern that

some people may have but added that of the candidates that were

interviewed, Lew stood out to him as the one who would be the best

addition to the council.

“The criteria I was looking for in the candidates was the one who

possessed the best combination of intelligence, strong work ethic and

cooperative attitude,” Collins said. “Lew had one of the best

combinations of those qualities and that is why I voted for him. It was a

tough decision and voters will have their opportunity to vote on the

remaining two years of that seat in the special election in 2002.”

Whittoff added that he could imagine the council being “a bit leery”

after having had Conlosh on the council, but said that they should

understand that everyone is suspicious of politicians these days.

“It’s because you can hardly open a paper without seeing some kind of

corruption or illegal activity,” Whittoff said. “I think that after this

experience, the council should pass some kind of a resolution that would

address this type of situation if it happens again.”