Irvine : UCI Professor Catalano Named to Council Seat

Ray Catalano, a nationally recognized urban planner and professor at UC Irvine, was named Tuesday to fill a vacancy on the Irvine City Council.

The four-member council voted unanimously to fill the seat vacated by David Sills, who was recently appointed to the Superior Court bench. The post pays $300 per year.

Council members praised Catalano as a distinguished author and lecturer, predicting that his previous stint as a city planning commissioner would give him the expertise to play an active and immediate role in the city’s development.

Catalano, 39, will be sworn in next week, after he returns from a European vacation. His term runs through 1988.

Councilwoman Sally Anne Miller, who made the motion to appoint Catalano, cited many of his achievements, such as his work to develop the city’s housing--a blueprint for growth--and his assistance in developing a $100-million multifamily housing bond program for Irvine.

“The city of Irvine is at a critical point in its development and . . . the urgency of these matters clearly demonstrated a need to move forward positively in filling the vacancy on the City Council with an experienced and proven member of the community,” Miller said, adding, “Ray Catalano fits that description.”