The list of candidates for appointment to a vacant Chula Vista City Council seat was whittled down from 44 to eight people this week.
Chula Vista resident James Clark, Sweetwater Union High School District compliance officer Thomas Glover, ex-Port Commissioner William “Bill” Hall, former Mayor Shirley Horton, Planning Commissioner Mark Liuag, Steven Miesen, business owner Lisa Moctezuma and Parade Foundation CEO Jason Paguio moved into the interviewing phase of the process.
The council was scheduled to interview candidates yesterday during a special public meeting at City Hall.
Clark served on the International Friendship Commision from 2005-2013. Clark has 30 years of experience in developing trade and cross-border relationships with Mexico and Tijuana.
As a potential council member, Clark lists on his application that his number one priority is to bring a four-year university to Chula Vista.
Glover, 50, the twin of Sweetwater district interim Superintendent Tim Glover, has resided in Chula Vista for about 48 years. He previously served on the Chula Vista Elementary School District’s Citizen Bond Oversight Committee.
Glover was a principal at Castle Park High School from 2012-2014.
“I would like to have the opportunity to serve (the council),” he said. “I have a lifelong history of being a public servant and willing to stand up and accept the challenges and opportunity to serve the people of Chula Vista.”
This is his first time seeking political office, although he doesn’t bill himself as a politician.
“I’m a public servant, that’s my history,” he said.
Hall sought appointment once before in 2009, losing out to Mitch Thompson, who filled the vacancy of then-Councilman John McCann who was called to Iraq.
He served as commissioner for the San Diego Unified Port District on three different occasions.
He chaired the Chula Vista Economic Development Commission.
Horton served the city of Chula Vista as mayor from 1994-2000. She also served as an assemblywoman for the 79th District from 2002 to 2008. Currently she is the community relations and development director for South Bay Community Services. In November, she lost her bid for the Board of Equalization.
Liuag, 55, currently sits on the city of Chula Vista’s Planning Commission. He is also the Planning Commission representative to the city’s Growth Management Commission. As a possible council member he wants to create job opportunities for the citizens of Chula Vista and to bring sound financial planning to the city budget by enacting policies that are favorable for businesses to locate and prosper in the city.
Liuag said his business background from Rohr Industries can be of use as the appointee.
“I think I can speak with the C-level executives who want to do business in Chula Vista and tell real world stories about what the advantages are to be in Chula Vista, and what it has to offer and how we can compete globally,” he said.
Miesen is on the Chula Vista Bayfront Cultural and Design Committee. He is also the division manager for Republic Services, a company that provides collection, recycling and disposal services to the city of Chula Vista. As a prospective council member, his main focus and decisions will be based on what is best for the city.
Moctezuma is a member of the San Diego Port Chula Vista Bayfront Cultural & Design Committee. Previously she served on the city’s Planning Commission for eight years and on the Redevelopment Committee. If appointed, Moctezuma wants to support the mayor, council and residents in achieving their goals.
Paguio is an executive for the non-profit Parade Band Foundation. Currently he heads the city’s Cultural Arts Commission. He also was on the Public Policy Committee for the South County Economic Development Council.
Forty-four applicants had applied for the appointment. That was whittled down to eight when the council and mayor nominated their own candidates for an interview.
The city clerk tallied the nominations and those who received at least two nominations moved into the interview round.
The council has until Jan. 23 to appoint someone to fill the fifth seat on the dais. Should the council not agree on an appointee, the process defaults to a special election.
A vacancy was created when then-Councilwoman Mary Casillas Salas won her bid for mayor. She gave up her council seat with two years left on her term. Casillas Salas was sworn in as Chula Vista’s 40th mayor last December, which was the same day the vacancy occurred.
Voters in Chula Vista overwhelmingly passed Prop. B, which gives City Council the authority to decide if the open seat should be filled by appointment or special election.
The council unanimously voted for an appointment Dec. 9.
City Attorney Glen Googins said the city could not provide information regarding which council member nominated which candidate because it is part of the “deliberative process.”
Googins cited the deliberative exemption in the Public Records Act as the basis for his decision. He did say that council members can reveal who they nominated if asked, but they are not required to say if they choose not too.
When asked who she nominated, Mayor Mary Casillias Salas did not disclose her choices. She said as part of the deliberative process she is not telling who she nominated. She said she is choosing the deliberative process route for fear of unintended consequenses.
Councilman John McCann, however, revealed he nominated six of the eight candidates who are moving into the interview round. The only two candidates McCann said he did not nominate were James Clark and Bill Hall.
Other applicants who had received a nomination from McCann that did not make it to the interview round were Jill Galvez, Hector Gastelum, Jesseca Saenz Gonzalez and Bryan Felber.
Councilwoman Pamela Bensoussan and Pat Aguilar did not return phone calls seeking comment.
