Santa Ana : Coalition to Push for Vote on Amendments

Organizers of a coalition of community groups that has advocated recalling City Council members said Wednesday that they will continue with their plans to put charter amendments before voters in a special election rather than join with a charter review commission proposed by the council Monday.

The coalition, called Santa Ana Merged Society of Neighbors, has proposed replacing the appointive city manager’s position with an elective, full-time mayor’s office and having council members elected by districts rather by citywide voting.

After a closed-door meeting Wednesday morning at Willowick Golf Course, coalition spokesman Jim Lowman said the group also will pursue the recall of one or more of the city’s seven council members. Another executive meeting of the coalition to discuss the recall issue is scheduled for Saturday morning, Lowman said.

The coalition is composed of 14 organizations that have criticized the council and City Manager Robert C. Bobb for being unresponsive to their complaints, which range from opposition to a city traffic plan to opposition to the city’s redevelopment plans.