Placentia : Council Defers Decision Naming New Member

City officials have postponed choosing a replacement for Councilman Robert Kuznik, who announced his resignation Oct. 1, until a special meeting scheduled for Oct. 29.

Council members Tuesday night could not agree on a selection, but narrowed the list of candidates from nine to four. The council, however, is not restricted to the four and may nominate additional candidates during the special meeting, Assistant City Administrator Jack Slota said Wednesday.

The four council finalists, from the list of nine candidates, are:

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

- Carol Downey: Placentia Unified School District teacher, Friends of Placentia Library Executive Board member, Placentia Founders Club member.

- George Petzoldt: Neighborhood Watch chairman and Citizen of the Year for 1985, Placentia-Yorba Linda Lyons Club vice president and Lyon of the Year for 1985-86.

- Ronald Wymer: Planning Commission member, GTE administrator, former Traffic Safety Commission member.

City officials have until Oct. 30 to select a new council member, City Administrator Roger Kemp said. If the council cannot decide on Kuznik’s replacement during the Oct. 29 meeting, they may opt for a special election, which would cost the city between $10,000 and $12,000.

The next election is scheduled for April, but it could be held next year in November if voters agree next month to consolidate city elections with statewide elections.

While council members postponed the decision on a replacement for Kuznik, they selected a new city clerk to replace Doris Black, who moved to Dana Point. Edmund Ponce, a Placentia city clerk from June, 1963, to April, 1978, will fill the vacant position until the next election, scheduled for April.

The city clerk position in Placentia is a part-time job that pays $75 a month, said Marla Anderson, the deputy city clerk. The clerk’s responsibilities include attending all council meetings and maintaining a record of council proceedings.