Kim Constantine sworn in as Fountain Valley mayor, Glenn Grandis to serve as mayor pro tem

The Fountain Valley City Council on Tuesday unanimously elected Kim Constantine to serve as mayor for the year ahead.

Constantine, who was mayor pro tem last year, earned a second four-year term on the dais through the general election on Nov. 8, as did outgoing mayor Patrick Harper.

“As our new mayor, I will continue to make decisions in the absolute best interest of this community,” Constantine said, while thanking her colleagues for giving her the gavel. “Residents and businesses can look forward to our stable leadership and more awareness about city-related matters, City Council agenda items, next-steps events, and valuable resources.”

Fountain Valley City Clerk Rick Miller, right, administers the oath of office to Kim Constantine as she is sworn in as mayor on Tuesday.

(Andrew Turner)

Glenn Grandis will serve as Fountain Valley’s mayor pro tem.

Jim Cunneen, a former Fountain Valley School District board member, received the most votes in the race for three seats on the panel. He takes the place of Michael Vo, who vacates the council after serving three consecutive terms.

“I do feel the gravity and the importance of this position,” Cunneen said. “I don’t take it lightly. I promise to work hard, and if I don’t, I’m sure I’ll be told.”

During his tenure as mayor, Harper set goals to keep Fountain Valley “safe, clean, efficient and together.” In this week’s meeting he highlighted what he called a “banner year” for community services, noting three new summer festivals held at Fountain Valley Sports Park — the Crawfish Festival, the BBQ Music Festival, and the Original Lobster Festival.

Harper also pointed to the city getting its housing element certified and efforts made concerning outreach with individuals experiencing homelessness.

“We all see people on the streets,” Harper said. “We want to help them and do what’s right, so we hired City Net, which is an outreach organization, to help connect homeless people with services, and so far [there are] more than 38 people that we’ve helped connect with services, which is fantastic, so we’re really happy about that.

“We also entered an agreement with Garden Grove and Westminster and the County of Orange to build that homeless center. It’s going to be located in Garden Grove, but we’ll have access to use it for Fountain Valley homeless.”

Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, left, presents a plaque to Michael Vo recognizing his 12 years of service on the Fountain Valley City Council.

(Andrew Turner)

Before stepping down from the dais, Vo was recognized by several agencies, including Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do and a representative from the office of Rep. Michelle Steel.

Vo served as mayor of Fountain Valley three times — in 2014, 2018 and 2021.

“Back in 2010, when I had a desire to serve my community, obviously, the first person I asked was my wife to see if she was willing to give up her private life so I could serve our community. One of the reasons I explained to her was that now I have a chance to serve this country, this community.

“Back in 1980, I came to this country with only a shirt on my back,” Vo said. “I was a refugee from Vietnam. I lived in the refugee camp. With the acceptance and embracement and nurturing of the American public, the Vietnamese Americans [were] able to come here and call this country home.

“I’m never able to pay that debt, and the only way I could think of was how to serve my city, Fountain Valley, where my children were born and raised.”

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