Thirteen candidates, including two incumbents, are running for three seats on the Fountain Valley City Council in the November election.
Out of the 13 candidates, seven responded to a general election questionnaire sent by Voice of OC. Here’s what the candidates had to say on some of the issues, in their words:
Question: What are your top three priorities if you were elected?
Jim Cunneen: 1. Providing our firefighters and police with the resources they need to keep Fountain Valley safe. 2. Ensure transparent and complete accountability for our taxpayer dollars 3. Attract and maintain good-paying jobs with healthy businesses.
Patrick Harper (incumbent): No response
Nancy Dugay: No response
Michael Mau: Responsible development, increase business & revenue, public safety
Alicia “Rudy” Huebner: Maintaining community safety and ensuring our police, fire and public works departments are well equipped to keep neighborhoods, businesses and schools safe. Fiscal accountability and finding revenue streams for the city without cost to residents. Attracting new businesses and supporting existing businesses to grow and modernize.
Dwight Shackelford Jr.: 1. Support for local businesses, particularly small businesses; 2. Support local law enforcement and fire; 3. Maintenance and safety of public parks and recreation areas.
Steve Nagel: No response
Darrel Mymon-Brown: Limit high density housing and allow for gradual growth, ban all short term rentals, improve communication between city and government including code enforcing.
Shaun Diamond: No response
Eugene Murray: No response
Kim Constantine (incumbent): Public safety – Nice, safe Fountain Valley for residents, businesses and visitors. Economic development — Lots to offer new businesses. Staff and I are pursuing it. Government regulation — Continuing as mayor, making decisions in the best interest of our city. Too much government regulation; must appropriately push back when not a good fit.
Cindy Cao: No response
Glenn Bleiweis: Protect city revenue to avoid tax increases to residents. Enforce regulations related to the short-term rental ban, parking violations, and zoning. Enhance resources for the homeless by collaborating with government officials and those affected to find solutions and resources.
Question: What do you think is the biggest issue in your city? How do you plan to address the issue?
Cunneen: The biggest need Fountain Valley faces is protecting public safety. Our community’s safety requires a professional and responsive police force and highly trained firefighters and paramedics. I will work to ensure that our police officers, firefighters, and paramedics have the resources, equipment, and personnel they need to do their jobs.
Harper: No response
Dugay: No response
Mau: Future growth will impact all aspects of our community. We must begin immediately to plan for the safety and health of our residents. Conduct a study on projected revenues, taxes, and fees, in relationship to the impact on law enforcement, first responders, infrastructure and utility services.
Huebner: Safeguarding our tax dollars and finding revenue streams for the city without cost to residents will ensure the city is able to fulfill its financial obligations, including addressing unfunded pension liabilities. I am focused on keeping our budget on track by spending responsibly and pursuing opportunities for savings through process improvements.
Shackelford: I attended a city council meeting on Tuesday night, 10/4. The biggest issue for Fountain Valley are the developments concerning the housing law to zone an additional 4,839 units. Progress is being made from a compliance standpoint, but there is more that needs to be done to fully address the issue.
Nagel: No response
Mymon-Brown: Housing issues: grow & develop gradually without necessitating high density, high rise building. As land/ property becomes available, evaluate and modify proposed projects to mitigate any undesirable outcome for current residents and the infrastructure.
Diamond: No response
Murray: No response
Constantine: Homelessness has been our priority, as everyone needs a proper roof over their head. City Council contracted with CityNet and has successfully transitioned more than half of our homeless into more permanent housing; has helped more than half of them. They’ll continue providing much needed assistance to those in need.
Cao: No response
Bleiweis: Homelessness is a big issue. Keeping our neighborhoods, sidewalks, parks, and businesses clean and safe is a must. I will work with City Net, our police department, EMS, social work agencies, churches, and outreach programs to ensure mental health services, housing, addiction treatment, medical care, and social services assistance are provided.
Question: What is your stance on regulating addiction recovery homes in Fountain Valley?
Cunneen: Sober Living Homes have become a more focused topic of interest in the past few years. I understand the city is limited in its ability to restrict or regulate this kind of use due to a complex set of federal and state laws.
Harper: No response
Dugay: No response
Mau: I support the present number of Addiction Recovery Homes (ARH) in Fountain Valley and believe regulating ARHs is essential to ensure public safety, compliance with criminal justice treatment programs, and provide protection to those seeking treatment. I do not support the addition of new ARHs.
Huebner: I am currently against allowing these businesses to operate in residential neighborhoods. Unless data shows there is a community need or benefit, I’d rather not deplete our already low housing stock.
Shackelford: I used to live next to an addiction recovery home in Costa Mesa. Those in treatment were mostly quiet and more or less ‘invisible’ in my neighborhood. While I am in favor of people seeking assistance for addiction issues, I don’t think the best place for their treatment is a residential neighborhood. There are other more suitable alternatives.
Nagel: No response
Mymon-Brown: Recovery homes fall under a unique category and are protected under the ADA and HUD guidelines. If it is legal to regulate them, I feel this would benefit the residents living in the recovery homes and give the neighbors some peace of mind.
Diamond: No response
Murray: No response
Constantine: I am our current mayor protem here, with rotation to mayor after re-election. I would need more information to make an educated decision in the absolute best interest of our “nice place to live.”
Cao: No response
Bleiweis: I am not in favor of regulating them. Past legislative attempts at regulating them have failed. Local lawsuits have been unsuccessful and extremely costly. Residents and owners of addiction recovery homes must be held accountable to respect the law, our neighborhoods, FV community standards, and fellow residents as any other resident would.
Question: How do you plan on meeting the requirements of state housing laws that call for Fountain Valley to zone for an additional 4,839 units by 2029?
Cunneen: As chair of the Fountain Valley General Plan Advisory Committee, this is an issue I have studied and worked on extensively. There must be effective zoning and land use to balance the interests of Fountain Valley residents with California law.
Harper: No response
Dugay: No response
Mau: I am opposed to high density housing in already high-density areas. I am committed to working with relevant city stakeholders and developers to responsibly select the few appropriate locations with the least negative impact upon our residents. We can enjoy growth while preserving our community.
Huebner: Several opportunity sites have been identified as part of the effort to meet the state mandate. I trust the years of research and expertise the GPAC and Planning Commission have dedicated to expanding our housing element, and I’m committed to making informed decisions that allow our community to strategically grow in a measured and sustainable way.
Shackelford: The current City Council has collaborated and dealt with the right people in addressing this issue and progress is being made. The ‘new look’ Fountain Valley city council will continue to work until the proper decisions are made and the job is ultimately completed. I happen to believe that state mandates of this kind is a classic example of government overreach. It may be well-intentioned, but as a practical matter, mandates are not good in a free society.
Nagel: No response
Mymon-Brown: F.V. has rezoned for the 4,839 RHNA (Regional Housing Needs Assessment) number of dwellings and meets the state’s requirements. However, 2,093 of slated homes are to be allocated for affordable and low income households. We need to require the same percentage of affordable homes being built by developers to match the percentages required by the state of the city.
Diamond: No response
Murray: No response
Constantine: Our Housing Element has been approved! City staff accommodated the state with a plan that is both thoughtful and in line with their requested numbers. When a development project comes before me, I will continue to see how well it fits the community — always voting in our absolute best interest.
Cao: No response
Bleiweis: I would only zone for housing units, not mixed-use structures. ADUs (accessory dwelling units) will add a measurable amount. Look to rezone underused shopping centers. It is important to respect the residents and business owners in our city, and we can do this by hearing their concerns and advocating for other fair, minimally-invasive solutions. No automatic mandate changes.
Question: What are some ways the city can collect revenue without taxing its residents?
Cunneen: We need to attract new businesses to Fountain Valley. New businesses expand our economic activity, which brings new revenue to the city. It would be inappropriate to ask Fountain Valley families and businesses to pay higher taxes than they already do.
Harper: No response
Dugay: No response
Mau: Increase the current transient occupancy tax (TOT) which is at a lower rate than our neighboring cities. Collect back taxes owed to the city from short term rentals and fines for continued noncompliance. Cut bureaucratic waste utilizing technology and audits to streamline administrative processes.
Huebner: Making it easier to do business in Fountain Valley will bring in long term sales tax revenue, in addition to the permitting and licensing fees. Streamlining this process by utilizing the latest technology, combined with greater choice and access to high speed internet, will attract new business to our city.
Shackelford: I think an electronic messaging board, like those in operation at high school and college campuses, could be used by companies for purchasing advertising space. This could generate a lot of extra revenue for our city if something like this were implemented.
Nagel: No response
Mymon-Brown: Increase number of community events & charge admission. Advertise & rent out the Recreation Center, Historical Society, & Senior Center. Require higher developer fees for MU zoning projects. Increase TOT fees which does not affect residents. Increase fines for code violations.
Diamond: No response
Murray: No response
Constantine: Our new city ordinance bans short-term rentals. We have 250+ of them operating illegally, not paying the 9% TOT (transient occupancy tax). We’ll collect 4 years worth of back taxes and have a fine structure of $1,500, $3,000 and $5,000 per occurrence penalties. Bringing in lucrative businesses will also help.
Cao: No response
Bleiweis: We can draw new businesses, activities, events, and entertainment into our city to increase revenue from non-residents. Alternative revenue streams must be pursued, such as monitoring and collecting past-due fines. Budget review can redirect leakage. Support for new and existing small businesses is also a must.
Voting centers will be open from Nov. 5 to Nov. 8 for in-person voting. Residents can find out more information on in-person voting sites here, and can learn more about mail-in voting in Orange County here.