Franco Named to Council in San Fernando

The San Fernando City Council on Monday night chose the chairman of the redevelopment committee for the city’s predominantly Latino south side to replace Councilman Ray Silva, who resigned to move to Central California.

Evelio Franco was appointed by a unanimous vote of the council to serve the remaining 16 months of Silva’s term.

But the decision came as a compromise after the council reached a stalemate on its first ballot with one vote for Franco, one for Jose Hernandez and two for former Mayor Doude Wysbeek.

Although council members are elected at large, Silva had expressed the desire for his replacement to be from the south side, where Franco lives.

Before the vote, several residents and representatives of the Latino community spoke in support of Hernandez, an urban studies professor at Cal State Northridge who is also from the south side.

“I can’t even figure out why there’s a question today--why Dr. Hernandez isn’t just given the post unanimously,” said Xavier Flores, who lives in Alhambra but works in San Fernando.

Roberta Philpy, speaking for a group of homeowners, said she was “tired of seeing this city divided” into north and south.

Philpy and Flores asked that a special election be called instead of leaving the decision to the council.

However, Mayor Roy Richardson said it would cost San Fernando more than $5,000 to hold a special election.