HUNTINGTON BEACH : Council Wants Treasurer, City Attorney Changed to Appointive Posts

Councilman Tom Harman wants to let voters decide whether the city treasurer and city attorney posts should be appointive rather than elective as they are now.

The City Council on Monday agreed, listing the charter amendment as one of the council’s goals for 1995.

“The goal of this council is to take the steps necessary to amend the charter so both positions are appointed,” Harman said.

Harman said the changes are overdue and particularly timely in the wake of the Orange County bankruptcy, which stemmed in part from having an elected county treasurer.

“It shows the mischief that can happen when you have elected officials as opposed to appointed officials. Basically, they’re off on their own and can do anything they want,” Harman said. “It just makes sense to have the city attorney and city treasurer be like any other department head.”

Councilman Dave Garofalo voted in favor of the charter amendment for city treasurer but abstained when it came to the city attorney.

Garofalo said he supports the change for the city treasurer’s office but demurred on the city attorney position because the city attorney was absent and could not debate the question.

Making both jobs appointive positions has gone to voters four times and has been rejected each time. But Harman said he is optimistic voters will rethink the issue.

“The time is right because the voters are aware of the problems with (former County Treasurer-Tax Collector Robert L. Citron),” Harman said. “I think we can convince the voters that it’s in the best interests of the citizens to have appointed rather than elected posts.”