Placentia : Council to Fill Vacancy From Pool of 9 Hopefuls

The city’s newest council member may be chosen tonight from a pool of nine applicants, including a former mayor, two planning commissioners and a councilwoman ousted in 1982.

Council members are scheduled to replace Councilman Robert Kuznik, who announced his resignation earlier this month. The council also may select a new city clerk to replace Doris Black, who resigned to move to Dana Point.

The nine residents who had filed applications by Friday’s deadline include:

- Emile Conforti--Planning Commission chairman, president of Ampro Corp. in Anaheim.

- Carol Downey--Placentia Unified School District teacher for 20 years and a member of the Friends of Placentia Library executive board.

- Norman Eckenrode--Former mayor and council member from 1978 to 1984, a member of various groups including Valencia High School Band Boosters Club.

- Betty Mead--One of three council members recalled in January, 1982, following a campaign by residents angered over the council’s unexpected firing of the city administrator of 14 years. Mead is a member of Placentia Round Table, the American Veterans Memorial Assn. and the Placentia Founders Society.

- April Ottavian--Traffic Safety Commission member and Placentia Heritage Festival Parade chairwoman.

- James Park--Retired purchasing agent for the city after working from 1967 to 1977; he now does volunteer work for the Korean Presbyterian Church and Youth Group.

- George Petzoldt--Neighborhood Watch chairman and Citizen of the Year for 1985, Placentia-Yorba Linda Lyons Club vice president.

- John Sibley--Orange County employee relations director, and a member of Evangelical Free Church of Yorba Linda.

- Ronald Wymer--A city planning commissioner and former Traffic Safety Commission member, he works as a GTE administrator.

The three applicants for the city clerk position are Carolyn Davis, a realtor and planning commissioner for eight years; Edmund Ponce, a former Placentia city clerk, and Carl Van Gorden, a teacher and parks and recreation commissioner.