It’s Official: Mission Viejo Is a City

Mission Viejo officially became the 27th city in Orange County Thursday morning, and the first City Council was sworn into office before more than 400 residents and guests at Saddleback College.

In its first official action, the council unanimously selected Councilman Norman P. Murray as the city’s mayor, after Supervisor Gaddi H. Vasquez administered the oath of office to the five members.

About 200 people had to be turned away at the door of Doyle G. McKinney Theatre, which seats only 400. About 75 listened to loudspeakers outside, while those packed inside gave 10 standing ovations to council members and council actions throughout the two-hour ceremony and meeting.

Councilman William S. Craycraft received the longest ovation when he surprised the audience and council by nominating Murray for mayor.

In recent weeks, council members had been lobbying one another for the mayor’s position, and both Craycraft and Councilman Robert A. Curtis had said Craycraft should be mayor because he received the most votes during the council election. But council members Christian W. Keena and Victoria C. Jaffe last week pledged their support for Murray, who placed fifth in the council race.

Craycraft called Murray a “dedicated servant and hard worker” during his 18 years as a Mission Viejo resident and as councilman and mayor of Bellflower.

“It was my intention to put the service of the community above personal desires,” Craycraft said after the meeting. “I know how to count to three, and I didn’t have three votes.”

After the council unanimously elected Murray as mayor, Curtis then nominated Craycraft for mayor pro tempore, and he was elected unanimously.

“I’ve never been conscious of my height, but today the man to my left (Craycraft) has risen about 10 feet in stature,” said Curtis in his nominating speech.

Murray told the audience and council members that he hoped the council could work harmoniously with him as its leader. He mentioned that he and his wife, Mary, had recently celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary. “When you live that long with a gal, you learn how to get along, and may I express that to my colleagues on the City Council,” Murray said to laughter and applause.

Council members last week said that they were looking forward to putting behind them the question of who would be mayor, which has been discussed since residents voted Nov. 3 to incorporate the city of 68,502 people. Mission Viejo is the first city to incorporate in Orange County since Irvine in 1971.

The council also enacted several ordinances, including hiring former Anaheim City Manager William O. Talley as city manager and former Rep. Jerry M. Patterson as city attorney.

Following the meeting, Murray, Craycraft, Talley and Scott F. Field (standing in for Patterson, who was unable to attend Thursday’s meeting) flew to Sacramento to sign papers with the State Board of Equalization, which will enable the city to begin collecting sales tax revenues today.

The county will continue to provide municipal services to the new city until June 30, the end of the faiscal year. The City Council will spend the time preparing for a transfer of the services, although it plans to contract with the county for most of them, including police and fire protection.

Several local leaders attended Thursday’s ceremony, including Sheriff Brad Gates, who led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Before the swearing in of the council, the new city was presented with proclamations from the state Senate and Assembly, presented by Sen. William Campbell (R-Hacienda Heights) and Assemblyman Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach).

Campbell told the new city residents they should take advantage of their local representation. “So now instead of calling Sacramento or Washington, D.C., call your City Council,” Campbell said.

The city of San Juan Capistrano and the Saddleback Valley Community College District also presented proclamations.

Vasquez, who presided over the gathering until the mayor was selected, read a statement from Gov. George Deukmejian, who congratulated Mission Viejo as “the Golden State’s newest city” and asked the new council to keep it the community of the “California Promise,” its longtime slogan.

The council will meet on the first and third Mondays each month at 3:30 p.m. and at 7 p.m. each of the days.The next meeting is Monday.