Councilman Stopped Showing Up : Whatever Happened to Old What’s-His-Name?

Where are you, Charles Vallas?

The folks at Bradbury City Hall were looking for you, but they finally gave up. Your City Council seat has been given to someone else.

“I don’t know why Vallas hasn’t been showing up,” said Mayor Ron Westmyer. “I don’t know where he is. We know from his son that he has been on vacation, so any time he could have phoned or written a letter asking that he be excused from council meetings.”

City officials say Vallas last attended a council meeting Oct. 16. Under state law, his seat became vacant Dec. 15 because he had an unexcused absence of 60 consecutive days.

The council then had 30 days to name a successor, and did so last week, three days before state law would have compelled the city to hold a costly special election to fill the seat.

The council appointed Robert B. Allen, who served four years on the Planning Commission.

Bradbury, an affluent community with a population of 873, is divided into five councilmanic districts. Vallas, who represented District 2, was named to the council in 1981 to replace Mary Stratton, who was recalled. He was elected to a new four-year term in April.

If Vallas’ seat had not been filled by appointment, it would have cost between $3,000 and $4,000 to hold a special election so the 100 voters in the district could make a choice, city officials said.

“I don’t know why he would take the time to run for office and not fulfill it,” Westmyer said.

Repeated attempts by The Times to contact the Vallas family at home were unsuccessful.

The mayor added that community leaders in the district who were consulted said they did not want the city to incur the cost of a special election.

The city did incur the cost of a special election in 1981, when Vallas’ predecessor, Stratton, was recalled. She resigned just before the election, but her resignation came too late for the election to be canceled.

Recall petitions said Stratton, who was elected in 1980 by a margin of one vote, was ineffective as a council member and was abusive to city staff and residents. Her four fellow councilmen charged her with disruptive antics, saying she used foul language to the other councilman and created unwarranted turmoil at council meetings and at City Hall. Vallas assisted in distribution of the recall petitions against Stratton.

Allen, the new councilman, is highly regarded both in his district and citywide, Westmyer said.

Said Allen, who has been a Bradbury resident for 28 years: “I will try to do a fine job to the best of my ability.”