San Fernando Mayor to Quit Council : Conflict of interest: Margarito will resign after being selected as a finalist for the new post of city director of community services.

San Fernando Mayor Jess Margarito announced Wednesday that he is resigning from the City Council because he needs a job and is in the running for the newly created position of city director of community services.

Margarito, 43, said he has sent a letter informing the City Council that his resignation will become effective Friday because conflict-of-interest regulations will not allow him to take a city job while serving on the council.

“I’m extremely grateful that I’ve been able to serve on the council,” he said. “It’s a good, honorable way of civic service.”

But, he added, councilmen make only $375 a month and the city job pays more than $2,900 monthly and offers a chance to advance in his chosen field--recreation and human services. He now works as a coordinator for the U.S. Census Bureau, a job he said will end soon.

Margarito was elected in 1984 and became a member of the first Latino majority on the council in 1986. That same year, he was elected the first Latino mayor in the city’s 75-year history by his fellow council members.

Under state law, the City Council has 30 days to decide whether to appoint a replacement for Margarito or hold a general election. His term expires in 18 months.

Councilmen Doude Wysbeek and Daniel Acuna said they favor appointment to save the city the expense of an election.

“If Jess does not get the job, he could well be reappointed,” Wysbeek said. “We just don’t know what’s going to happen.”

Wysbeek said he will submit the name of Planning Commissioner Mary Jane Tuomy as a candidate for the council. Tuomy lost her April bid for a seat on the council by 30 votes.

Acuna said he would not support a move to reappoint Margarito and considers Tuomy a strong candidate for the seat.

“He’s brought strong leadership as mayor and has been a real asset to the council,” Acuna said of Margarito. “But he’s resigned and that brings him to the end of the trail on the council.”

Margarito worked for the city as a recreation leader for 11 years. He also has worked for a cable television company. He said he decided to apply for the city job after the council voted to expand the Parks and Recreation Department to include human services.

Margarito said he was informed Tuesday that he is one of seven finalists to be interviewed next week for the job.

“That’s when I decided to resign,” he said. “I wanted to avoid any conflict.”

Margarito and the other finalists will be interviewed by a panel of professionals from outside the city. The panel will forward the names of those it considers the three best candidates to City Administrator Mary Strenn, who will recommend one to the council.

Both Wysbeek and Acuna said they will follow Strenn’s recommendation.