ORANGE : New Planner Picked After Investigation

After a one-week delay, City Council members voted unanimously this week to fill a vacancy on the city Planning Commission.

The council was scheduled to approve the appointment of resident Mark Murphy to the five-member commission last week but postponed the decision after a group of residents questioned the council’s selection process.

Resident Terry Sargeant, who applied for the position but was not chosen, questioned whether Murphy’s qualifications were better than her own. Two other residents charged that Murphy’s resume reached the city clerk’s office after the Sept. 4 deadline.

Following an investigation by the city attorney’s office, Mayor Don E. Smith said that Murphy’s resume had been “lost in the shuffle” but actually was on file for months.

“There was never a question of qualifications because (Murphy) has proven his abilities,” Smith said. “But people have the right to question the process.”

Murphy, 33, is a senior sales representative for the Apollo Systems Division of Hewlett-Packard in Irvine. He earned a bachelor of science degree and a master’s degree from the University of Southern California. Both degrees were in business administration.

Murphy previously served on the Orange Centennial Commission. He will fill the vacancy left by the Sept. 18 resignation of Commissioner Don Greek.