FOUNTAIN VALLEY : Effort to Replace Mayor Voss Is Tabled

After 15 votes, a deadlocked City Council abandoned its attempts Tuesday night to choose a replacement for ousted Mayor Fred Voss--at least temporarily.

In front of a packed City Council chamber, the four council members failed to get three votes--the legal minimum--for any candidate.

The three leading council candidates were John Knight, John Collins and Ellory Deaton.

For most of the 15 rounds, the vote was split between Knight and Collins. Mayor Pro Tem James E. Neal broke that twice, by voting for Deaton.

After 15 tries, the city attorney said the council had satisfied its legal mandate for trying to replace Voss, and the matter was tabled indefinitely.

“We are all very frustrated about this,” Mayor Laurann Cook said. “I have empathy for the citizens and the candidates during this whole ordeal. I think the stress that we’ve endured for the last three weeks displayed itself tonight with us not reaching an agreement.”

Cook said the council struggled with the process because the city hasn’t experienced a recall for 20 years.

Voss was removed from his seat by a successful recall in the Nov. 7 election. That recall began after he was arrested by Santa Ana police for soliciting sex from an undercover officer posing as a prostitute.

Voters, who ousted Voss by a 2-1 margin, decided that his replacement be appointed by the City Council.