Local News in Brief : Santa Ana : Neighbor Group Asks Ward-Election Meeting

The Santa Ana Merged Society of Neighbors asked the City Council on Wednesday to convene a special meeting before Aug. 12 to place the issue of ward elections on the November ballot.

Harry Greenberg, president of the Santa Ana residents group, said he was “amazed and outraged” by the council’s refusal to put the issue before voters.

The group sponsored two unsuccessful ballot measures in 1986 that would have replaced the current at-large system with ward elections.

Gordon Bricken, a former councilman and member of the group, said it would look into “possible improprieties” he says may have occurred during Monday’s meeting, at which a proposal to put the wards question on the ballot at first appeared to have enough support to pass but ultimately failed.

Bricken said he could not be more specific about the possible improprieties because he had not yet reviewed a tape of the council session.

The city must deliver a list of council candidates and any local measures to the county registrar of voters by Aug. 12 for inclusion on the November ballot. The council’s next scheduled meeting is Aug. 15.

Mayor Dan Young said he had not yet received the group’s request. “If I do get a letter, I will go over the procedures for a special meeting with the city attorney,” he said. “I’m not even sure what they’re asking.”

City Atty. Edward J. Cooper said that, according to state law, either the mayor or a majority of the council could call a special meeting.