Election 2020: Meet the candidates for Fountain Valley City Council
The Fountain Valley City Council race features a total of seven candidates hoping to secure one of two seats available in the Nov. 3 election.
Mayor Cheryl Brothers is the lone incumbent running, as Councilman Steve Nagel is not seeking reelection. The six challengers are Ted Bui, Jim Cunneen, Glenn Grandis, Tom Nguyen, Mary Pham and Mai-Khanh Tran.
The Daily Pilot sent a questionnaire out to all candidates for City Council in its coverage area to get a sense of who they are, why they are running and what issues they believe matter most in their communities. Some responses have been edited for formatting, length or clarity.
CHERYL BROTHERS (Incumbent)
Age: Did not answer
Professional occupation: Retired
Education: “Some college”
Time lived in city of residence: 45 years
Previous public service: Fountain Valley Parks Commission for nine years; Fountain Valley Planning Commission for six years; Additional regional committees
What are your thoughts on the city’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic? If elected, how would you help the city recover?
Continue to be a resource for accurate updates from state and county health officials; Working with the Chamber of Commerce; Provide informational webinars to businesses to help them comply with mandates and recover as quickly as possible. If our businesses prosper, the city benefits, too.
This summer, the Orange County area saw demonstrations related to issues of social justice, policing and inequity. How do you think constituents view these issues, and how would you address them on the dais?
Peaceful demonstrations are a welcome expression of everyone’s right to free speech, and I will continue to listen to all points of view. Crowds that put members at risk will not be tolerated.
State housing allocations over the next several years may require the city to zone for 4,827 units (RHNA). How would you maintain residents’ quality of life while addressing the housing crisis?
We are joining other Orange County cities in a challenge of the overall numbers given by the state housing authority and protesting numbers given to Fountain Valley. We will continue to object to the number we have been given since we cannot file a housing element that would be compliant with the numbers that were assigned to us.
What else would you focus on as a council member?
Continuing to implement the 30-year financial plan that was established in 2016, designed to keep adequate reserves that we rely on during downturns in the economy, pay down our debts in a responsible manner, maintain our infrastructure, and provide our safety personnel with the tools needed to keep our residents safe.
Age: 49
Professional occupation: Small business owner
Education: Associate of Arts in Criminal Justice, University of Phoenix; Bachelor of Law, American Heritage University
Time lived in city of residence: Six years
Previous public service: None
What are your thoughts on the city’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic? If elected, how would you help the city recover?
The city has done a good job in response to COVID-19, but citizens and businesses might not have been informed as much as I would like to see. I will create a special committee to focus on recovery.
This summer, the Orange County area saw demonstrations related to issues of social justice, policing and inequity. How do you think constituents view these issues, and how would you address them on the dais?
Demonstrations related to issues of social justice, policing and inequity is Americans’ First Amendment right. We should also focus on how our first responders, police and fire [departments] are risking their lives every day to protect our community.
State housing allocations over the next several years may require the city to zone for 4,827 units (RHNA). How would you maintain residents’ quality of life while addressing the housing crisis?
I will support reasonable and orderly housing growth with the support of the community and data research from city staff. If the residents do not support RHNA program or because of lack of land capacity, if elected as their City Council member, Fountain Valley will fight for them against the state mandate even if it could be a losing battle.
What else would you focus on as a council member?
Fiscal responsibility, promote and retain business-friendly policies, protect our small neighborhoods, fully fund senior service programs, aid school safety, and facilitate healthcare industry.
Age: 52
Professional occupation: Professional civil engineer/managing director
Education: Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Cal State Long Beach; juris doctorate, American College of Law
Time lived in city of residence: 27 years
Previous public service: Fountain Valley School District trustee (2014 to present); Fountain Valley School District Board President 2018; Fountain Valley Planning Commission 2014
What are your thoughts on the city’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic? If elected, how would you help the city recover?
Decreased revenue related to the coronavirus has totaled $3.2 million from the 2019-2020 fiscal year ending June 30, with another $5.1 million projected shortfall for fiscal year 2020-2021. Council decided to close this gap by foregoing additional CalPERS UAL payments, drawing on the emergency reserve, enacting departmental budget cuts, and taking a capital reserve reduction — all steps I would support.
This summer, the Orange County area saw demonstrations related to issues of social justice, policing, and inequity. How do you think constituents view these issues, and how would you address them on the dais?
Our community seems to view these issues with interested concern, as evidenced by a demonstration at county-owned Mile Square Park that was well attended. After a recent interview with the police chief, I am confident that our city policies strive to balance community safety and protection with individual constitutional rights and freedoms of expression that I would support.
State housing allocations over the next several years may require the city to zone for 4,827 units (RHNA). How would you maintain residents’ quality of life while addressing the housing crisis?
Auxiliary dwelling units are a possible development tool to increase our Regional Housing Needs Assessment numbers, which were 358 units until the state recently assigned 4,827 to Fountain Valley. That new number is unreasonable and likely unattainable here. The question now is whether we can count some portion of our ADU capacity, which according the city is about 26,000 city-wide.
What else would you focus on as a council member?
My top priorities include: Rapid recovery for business, employees and families; disciplined and effective fiscal management; reliable public safety — city services, police, fire. The community has trusted me as its school board member, and now I’m asking them to trust me with the matters of the city of Fountain Valley. I will serve with dedication, diligence, and integrity.
Age: 56
Professional occupation: Information technology account executive for county, city, municipalities and universities
Education: Bachelor of Science in Accounting; Master of Business Administration
Time lived in city of residence: 40 years
Previous public service: Founding director of the Fountain Valley Community Foundation. City Council appointed seven times for 14 years
What are your thoughts on the city’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic? If elected, how would you help the city recover?
We need to continue to work with small businesses in our community to allow them to open up as safely as possible. Temporarily eliminating fees for banners, allowing restaurants to expand into outdoor areas and providing low interest loans should be continued and expanded.
This summer, the Orange County area saw demonstrations related to issues of social justice, policing and inequity. How do you think constituents view these issues, and how would you address them on the dais?
I attended the peaceful BLM event at Mile Square Park over the summer and broadcast it live on Facebook, allowing over 16,000 residents to see live what was happening. I support supplementing the police department with social workers who can reach out and help our homeless with resources provided by the county and direct those in need to resources available.
State housing allocations over the next several years may require the city to zone for 4,827 units (RHNA). How would you maintain residents’ quality of life while addressing the housing crisis?
I would oppose high-density housing in favor of more creative mixed-use developments with medium-density units that have ample parking for residents and consumers. There are some very large potential developments coming forward over the next few years. The decisions we make today will affect the residents of Fountain Valley for decades to come.
What else would you focus on as a council member?
I am the only candidate endorsed by the Fountain Valley police officers and Fountain Valley firefighters. I received these endorsements, as I am committed to maintaining a fiscally accountable and sustainable city that spends within our means and invests responsibly to promote a healthy local economy. I will also work to ensure that we reduce the city’s massive $75-million debt.
TOM NGUYEN
Candidate declined to respond to requests for information.
MARY PHAM
Age: 66
Professional occupation: Retired medical worker
Education: Completed four years of college in Vietnam; social services training at Thompson Institute in Harrisburg, Pa.; nursing training at Pacific College in Costa Mesa (2000)
Time lived in city of residence: 13 years
Previous public service: Active member of minister of the Eucharist at Holy Spirit Catholic Church and the Assn. of Vietnamese Catholic Professional and Entrepreneurs
What are your thoughts on the city’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic? If elected, how would you help the city recover?
Taxes are the main source of city revenue. COVID-19 is a big problem for the state and local economy. In this situation, the city should not raise taxes but assist the business community to survive and cope with COVID-19. The sooner the business community is recovering from COVID-19, the sooner the city revenue will improve.
This summer, the Orange County area saw demonstrations related to issues of social justice, policing and inequity. How do you think constituents view these issues, and how would you address them on the dais?
As a law-abiding citizen, I am a strong supporter of law and order. No one could operate above that law and order.
State housing allocations over the next several years may require the city to zone for 4,827 units (RHNA). How would you maintain residents’ quality of life while addressing the housing crisis?
That mandate from the state would not go away but is there to stay. Fountain Valley’s quality of life could be protected only if the city takes a proactive attitude in complying with that policy in order to minimize the negative impact of this state policy.
What else would you focus on as a council member?
There are many other issues the city would have to deal with, but I believe that the three above issues are most important.
Age: 55
Professional occupation: Pediatrician
Education: Bachelor of Arts, Harvard University; MD, Brown University; Pediatric residency, UCLA
Time lived in city of residence: 12 years (practiced in Fountain Valley since 1995)
Previous public service: Past member of Fountain Valley Advisory Committee for Persons with Disabilities
What are your thoughts on the city’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic? If elected, how would you help the city recover?
With my training as a doctor, I can help the city navigate [the pandemic]. My priorities are: Increase testing and contact tracing; Protect seniors, children, healthcare workers with adequate PPE; Provide clear science-based guidance for school and business re-openings. The city needs to step up to protect its residents, and we can do that with a doctor in the house.
This summer, the Orange County area saw demonstrations related to issues of social justice, policing and inequity. How do you think constituents view these issues, and how would you address them on the dais?
Safety and security are of utmost importance. We need greater law-enforcement presence and involvement from the FVPD and from officers who live in the city and who represent the ethnic diversity of this city. That is how we are going to re-enforce the sense of safety among all the residents and address the concerns that were so prevalent this summer.
State housing allocations over the next several years may require the city to zone for 4,827 units (RHNA). How would you maintain residents’ quality of life while addressing the housing crisis?
The city needs to hire an urban planner who will help us examine the pros and cons of high-density housing and zoning codes. More importantly, City Hall needs to inform residents of fair and consistent building and zoning codes so that no one is surprised by the changing landscape of our neighborhoods.
What else would you focus on as a council member?
In the past decade, jobs in the restaurant and accommodation industry grew 64% and healthcare is our largest job provider. There is no master plan by the city to spearhead growth in these areas. I will invest in innovation and technology, streamline regulations, and improve City Hall’s relationship with small businesses. My priority is to … update our institutions.
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