Placentia : Accept Candidate for Treasurer, City Told

A judge ordered city officials Thursday to accept the name of Gary R. Arnold as a candidate for city treasurer, pending a full hearing in the election dispute.

County Superior Court Judge Tulley H. Seymour issued the order to allow Arnold’s name to be included on the Nov. 4 ballot, which will be printed next week.

Arnold, 45, who calls himself a “watchdog” of city government, claimed that Placentia officials refused to accept his nomination papers. His lawsuit, filed last week, claimed that officials questioned whether Arnold, who owns a business in Northern California, was a city resident.

“The judge ordered the city clerk to certify Arnold’s candidacy and forward the papers to the registrar of voters,” said Robert A. Von Esch Jr., Arnold’s lawyer.

William B. Rodiger, an attorney representing the city, asked Seymour for more time to prepare the city’s case. Seymour scheduled another hearing for Sept. 17 but ordered that Arnold be included in any official election materials printed before then.

“They’re desperate to keep me off the ballot because in the position of city treasurer I’ll tell them where their money is going,” Arnold said.

Two other candidates, Rachelle Bilhartz and appointed incumbent Carolyn H. Davis, have filed for the two-year treasurer post, which pays $5 per month.