Councilwoman Won’t Resign After All

As two dozen supporters stood and cheered, Kathryn McCullough announced to the City Council this week that she will not be resigning after all.

After her Adopt-a-Neighbor food bank was found to be ineligible for a $10,000 federal grant because her council membership created a conflict of interest, McCullough said she would step down May 1.

But a fund-raising drive netted more than $18,000, allowing her to continue operating the food bank without resigning from office.

At Tuesday night’s council session, McCullough expressed her appreciation to the community for all the help. “I want to thank everyone who chipped in with their pennies and dollars and, most of all, their prayers,” she said.

Mayor Richard T. Dixon said the council is “very happy for Adopt-a-Neighbor.” The situation, he said, worked out even better than if the federal government had awarded the $10,000 to the charity.

The food bank received gifts of $5,000 and $2,500 from private donors. Most of the $18,000 raised, however, was contributed $5 and $10 at a time by clients of the Mission Viejo food bank and its supporters in the neighborhood.