Fullerton City Council

Three city employees have been proclaimed employees of the year by the City Council. Ron Stancyk, a firefighter and paramedic; Ken Stewart, a maintenance worker, and Jackie Lewis, a budget manager, were awarded commemorative plaques and thanked for their service Tuesday night. "I'm being recognized for something I enjoy doing," Stancyk said, smiling. Retiring Police Chief Phil Goehring also received a commendation for his 31 years of service.

In a rare endorsement for the Fullerton Police Department, dozens of residents stood before the City Council and passionately urged it to put off any discussion of disbanding the beleaguered agency. The Fullerton City Council voted 3 to 2 to reject a proposal to explore replacing the century-old Police Department with the Orange County Sheriff's Department. The vote just before midnight on Tuesday was a sign of how important local law enforcement is to its residents — even as it continues to respond to criticism since last year's fatal beating of Kelly Thomas, a mentally ill homeless man. The beating and its aftermath led to two officers being charged in connection with the killing and three council members being recalled and replaced.

A day after voters elected them to the City Council, the three special-election winners said Wednesday that they oppose forcing any action on the city's controversial utility tax before the Nov. 8 general election. Jan M.

The landslide recall of three City Council members in Fullerton ushered in a new council majority that's younger, more ideological and more populist, potentially paving the way for major change in a city rocked by turbulence. Dick Jones, Don Bankhead and Pat McKinley came under fire for their perceived protection of the Fullerton Police Department after the death of Kelly Thomas, a mentally ill homeless man who was beaten by police last summer. Each was voted out by an almost identical majority of nearly 66%, according to the Orange County Registrar's complete but unofficial election results.

With a Friday filing deadline approaching, two challengers have submitted petitions to run for three Fullerton City Council seats in November. Mike Clesceri, an investigator for the Orange County district attorney's office, filed his intent to seek a four-year council term Aug. 1. Brent Hardwick, a Fullerton transportation commissioner, filed his petition for candidacy Monday. They are vying for three council seats held by Mayor F. Richard Jones, Councilman Chris Norby and Councilwoman Julie Sa.

The City Council is seeking to fill a vacancy on the Planning Commission. The seven-member commission studies and makes recommendations to the City Council on all development issues within the city. Applicants must be Fullerton residents. Those interested may pick up applications from the Fullerton City Council office in City Hall, 303 W. Commonwealth Ave. Applications must be received by the City Council by Aug. 7. Call (714) 738-6311 for more information.

The Garden Grove City Council will hold a special public meeting Tuesday on the banning of so-called safe-and-sane fireworks within city limits. The council will consider recommendations from the fire department and other organizations that the possession and sale of such fireworks be illegal. Garden Grove is one of the six Orange County cities that still allow the sale of such fireworks. The other cities are Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Fullerton, Orange and Santa Ana.

Compared to some election races in Orange County, Fullerton's City Council race may seem a bit boring. After all, the race is void of any mudslinging and outrageous campaign charges and countercharges. With only three candidates--two of them incumbents--vying for two seats in the Nov. 6 election, the race has been decidedly low-key. "I think Fullerton City Council races have traditionally been free of mudslinging," said Mayor A.B. (Buck) Catlin, who is seeking reelection.

Given the crisis of confidence after the death of a homeless man, allegedly at the hands of six police officers, the Fullerton City Council couldn't have made a better choice than to bring in an outside investigator. Michael Gennaco, a former federal prosecutor who heads L.A. County's Office of Independent Review, has a respected record of ferreting out the truth in police abuse investigations. He was hired this week to examine the July death of Kelly Thomas, who according to some accounts was brutally beaten and repeatedly Tasered by police after they responded to a call about a man breaking into cars near a bus station.

After a whirlwind, blistering race to replace a disgraced former state legislator, Orange County Supervisor Chris Norby came in first among five candidates Tuesday but fell short of the majority needed to avoid a runoff. In the special election for the 72nd Assembly District seat, Norby jumped to an early lead over fellow Republicans -- longtime party activist Linda Ackerman and political newcomer Richard Faher -- Democrat John MacMurray and Jane Rands of the Green Party. From the outset, the race in the GOP stronghold was viewed as a showdown between Norby, 59, and Ackerman, 65, a member of the Metropolitan Water District board and the wife of former Republican legislative leader Dick Ackerman.

The Fullerton City Council has passed a resolution supporting turning the closed El Toro Marine base into a commercial airport. The 3-2 vote this week followed a letter sent by the council to the U.S. Department of Transportation asking the agency to halt the scheduled Jan. 5 sale of El Toro to private developers. Councilman Leland Wilson said Tuesday's formal resolution reiterated that an El Toro airport would be a boon for the region and help meet increased demand for commercial aviation.

Despite dozens of impassioned pleas, the Fullerton City Council on Tuesday denied a request for a $1.8-million loan to help preservationists save the historic Fox Theatre. Voting 4 to 1, the council -- acting as the city's redevelopment agency -- rejected giving the loan to the Fullerton Historic Theatre Foundation, which wants to buy the 1920s-era landmark. The theater is slated for sale to a developer, who plans to raze it for apartments. The Fox's owner is asking $3.

Unable to raise $1.8 million by today's deadline to save the historic Fox Theatre in downtown Fullerton, preservationists are now hoping the City Council will come to the rescue. The Fullerton Historic Theatre Foundation is campaigning to save the 1920s-era landmark from being sold to a developer, who plans to raze the structure and build apartments. The property owner wants $3.5 million for the theater. The city has pledged $1.

Boosting plans for the purchase and restoration of the historic Fox Fullerton Theatre, the City Council has pledged to match up to $1.65 million in donations toward the cause. The council agreed by a 5-0 vote Tuesday night to help the fundraising effort, on the condition that funds to purchase the theater be raised by November and that within three years of its purchase, the stabilization, seismic retrofitting and restoration be completed.

The Fullerton City Council has passed a resolution supporting turning the closed El Toro Marine base into a commercial airport. The 3-2 vote this week followed a letter sent by the council to the U.S. Department of Transportation asking the agency to halt the scheduled Jan. 5 sale of El Toro to private developers. Councilman Leland Wilson said Tuesday's formal resolution reiterated that an El Toro airport would be a boon for the region and help meet increased demand for commercial aviation.

City Council members have chosen Don Bankhead as mayor for the coming year. It will be the first time Bankhead, 59, a retired police captain, will serve as mayor. He succeeds Chris Norby, whose one-year term has expired. Bankhead became known throughout the county in 1990 when he ran for sheriff against Brad Gates. Gates won, but Bankhead earned 45% of the vote in a campaign that started late and had few funds. He was elected to the Fullerton City Council in 1988.

Remember the old sxpouses' tale about bad things happening in threes? Start counting. Come March, voters of the city of L.A. could raise to three the number of terms their officials can serve in a lifetime. This week, the City Council may give final approval to putting that change on the ballot. If voters go for it in March, the city's elected officials could serve three terms over a lifetime, instead of the two-term limit recently enacted. But . . . oops!

Fullerton appears on the verge of being the latest city to pull out of the Orange County Regional Airport Authority, which would make it the fourth this year to withdraw support from the principal booster group for a new El Toro airport. The City Council is scheduled to vote tonight on the issue. The majority of the five-member council has signaled that it approves dropping out of the authority, which backs the county's plan to build a commercial airfield at the former Marine base.