Placentia : Applications Accepted for Council, Clerk Posts

Placentia residents interested in either a council seat or a city clerk position have until 5 p.m. Friday to apply.

A City Council seat became vacant last week when Councilman Robert Kuznik resigned. The city clerk position is vacant following the resignation of Doris Black, who moved to Dana Point.

With less than 30 days to make their selections, city officials hope to fill both vacancies at their Oct. 15 meeting.

Kuznik announced his resignation at a City Council meeting last Tuesday, citing, without elaboration, “new opportunities.” He conceded, however, that continuous criticism from a group of residents “makes it difficult for one to want to continue on.”

Kuznik is president of Jaycox Disposal Co., which handles the city’s garbage collection. Accused by some residents of a conflict of interest, Kuznik pointed out that the city had the contract with Jaycox for about 20 years “before I showed up.” When he ran for office in 1982, his campaign literature made clear that he was president of the company, Kuznik said. “The voters knew before they elected me,” he said.

A Planning Commission member in 1982, Kuznik was selected to fill one of three council positions left vacant following a controversial recall. A few months later, he was elected for a four-year term, due to expire in April, 1986.

Mayor George Ziegler said of Kuznik, “I’m going to miss him. I think the city is going to miss him.

“If it was up to me to accept Bob’s resignation, I would not. I would reject it. I think he represented the community well. I think he contributed to the council more than his share.”