Joanne Coontz

Just one day before City Council members take a crucial vote on whether to fire the police chief, a community activist formally notified Mayor Joanne Coontz Monday of a recall campaign being launched against her. "It's time she knows we're not playing around any more," said Carole Walters, a longtime City Hall watchdog who delivered the papers to Coontz. "It's a shame it had to come to this." Walters said the encounter was "polite" and "ladylike" and no hostile words were exchanged.

At Tuesday night's City Council meeting, Mayor Joanne Coontz gave an update of her recent findings that three East Orange sites are being considered by the Sheriff's Department and a search committee for a new maximum-security jail. Coontz said that the sites--one west of the Eastern toll road, two east--are still on the search committee's list of potential jail sites.

Joanne Coontz, a city councilwoman in Orange, was recently selected to head the Orange County Waste Management Commission through the remainder of 1993. The 17-member commission advises the Board of Supervisors about such waste management issues as recycling, landfill use and methods for disposing of hazardous wastes.

The filing period for office-seekers will not open for another month, but Councilman Michael Alvarez has already announced he will challenge Mayor Joanne Coontz in November. The move sets the stage for a race that will focus on the February firing of Police Chief John R. Robertson and the potential fallout from a yearlong investigation of the city's trash and recycling companies.

At Tuesday night's City Council meeting, Mayor Joanne Coontz gave an update of her recent findings that three East Orange sites are being considered by the Sheriff's Department and a search committee for a new maximum-security jail. Coontz said that the sites--one west of the Eastern toll road, two east--are still on the search committee's list of potential jail sites.

Your article (Oct. 29) on the Orange City Council race was both factually incorrect and misleading. The article states that I was "removed from the Planning Commission by then-Mayor Hoyt." The fact is I was appointed by Mayor Robert D. Hoyt in 1976. He left the council in 1980. In 1983 Mayor James Beam requested the resignation of all planning commissioners. All commissioners submitted resignations. I decided not to be considered for reappointment because no reason was given for the request.

Mayor Joanne Coontz reeled off a list of businesses that have moved to the city or expanded their offices recently as a highlight in her "State of the City" address to the Chamber of Commerce. Coontz used the Friday luncheon to showcase a positive in a year that ended in financial disaster for the county.

The filing period for office-seekers will not open for another month, but Councilman Michael Alvarez has already announced he will challenge Mayor Joanne Coontz in November. The move sets the stage for a race that will focus on the February firing of Police Chief John R. Robertson and the potential fallout from a yearlong investigation of the city's trash and recycling companies.

In her annual State of the City address Friday, Mayor Joanne Coontz emphasized strides the city has made in improving services to the public and luring in new businesses. "Teamwork, communication and partnership were the reasons why 1996 was a strong year for the city of Orange," she said. In keeping with those themes, she announced that the city will consider plans for a new community center in the year ahead.

Social etiquette has traditionally required that a gentleman surrender his seat for a lady. But Joanne Coontz, the first woman ever elected to the Orange City Council in its 105-year history, initially found the manners of her male colleagues wanting. At her first executive session in 1986, Coontz recounts sitting down, only to be chased off several chairs by male council members who explained those were their seats.

Just one day before City Council members take a crucial vote on whether to fire the police chief, a community activist formally notified Mayor Joanne Coontz Monday of a recall campaign being launched against her. "It's time she knows we're not playing around any more," said Carole Walters, a longtime City Hall watchdog who delivered the papers to Coontz. "It's a shame it had to come to this." Walters said the encounter was "polite" and "ladylike" and no hostile words were exchanged.

In her annual State of the City address Friday, Mayor Joanne Coontz emphasized strides the city has made in improving services to the public and luring in new businesses. "Teamwork, communication and partnership were the reasons why 1996 was a strong year for the city of Orange," she said. In keeping with those themes, she announced that the city will consider plans for a new community center in the year ahead.

A former city manager has alleged in a Superior Court document that Mayor Joanne Coontz abused her powers of office during a bitter election campaign in 1990. In a sworn declaration related to an ongoing civil lawsuit against the city, Ronald Lewis Thompson, who was city manager from 1989 until he resigned in 1993, also accused other council members of corrupt acts but said that "none was as bad as [then]-Councilwoman Coontz."

Mayor Joanne Coontz reeled off a list of businesses that have moved to the city or expanded their offices recently as a highlight in her "State of the City" address to the Chamber of Commerce. Coontz used the Friday luncheon to showcase a positive in a year that ended in financial disaster for the county.

Social etiquette has traditionally required that a gentleman surrender his seat for a lady. But Joanne Coontz, the first woman ever elected to the Orange City Council in its 105-year history, initially found the manners of her male colleagues wanting. At her first executive session in 1986, Coontz recounts sitting down, only to be chased off several chairs by male council members who explained those were their seats.

Joanne Coontz, a city councilwoman in Orange, was recently selected to head the Orange County Waste Management Commission through the remainder of 1993. The 17-member commission advises the Board of Supervisors about such waste management issues as recycling, landfill use and methods for disposing of hazardous wastes.

A former city manager has alleged in a Superior Court document that Mayor Joanne Coontz abused her powers of office during a bitter election campaign in 1990. In a sworn declaration related to an ongoing civil lawsuit against the city, Ronald Lewis Thompson, who was city manager from 1989 until he resigned in 1993, also accused other council members of corrupt acts but said that "none was as bad as [then]-Councilwoman Coontz."

Chapman University will be the site of a public debate Sept. 29 between mayoral candidates Joanne Coontz, the incumbent, and challenger Mike Alvarez, a city councilman. The free event begins at noon in Room 209A in Argyros Forum, 333 N. Glassell St.

Your article (Oct. 29) on the Orange City Council race was both factually incorrect and misleading. The article states that I was "removed from the Planning Commission by then-Mayor Hoyt." The fact is I was appointed by Mayor Robert D. Hoyt in 1976. He left the council in 1980. In 1983 Mayor James Beam requested the resignation of all planning commissioners. All commissioners submitted resignations. I decided not to be considered for reappointment because no reason was given for the request.