This has been transcribed with the assistance of Microsoft Word.

The Orange Empire Chorus opened the meeting with the National Anthem and a Christmas song.

The Orange Empire Chorus recently had their Christmas show, but they welcome men who enjoy singing to join them for rehearsals every Tuesday night at 7:00 PM at the Fullerton Presbyterian Church. More information can be found on their website, oechorus.org.

Fullerton Sister City Association Announcement

Fullerton Sister City Association announced that they are seeking to select Junior Ambassador delegates for an upcoming delegation trip to Tolo this summer from June 20th to July 1st, 2025. Current 8th graders through high school seniors are encouraged to apply.

Applications are now open. The Fullerton Sister City Association will have an informational meeting on January 8th at the Fullerton Public Library. If you have questions or need more information, you can reach out via email to Leah Yamamoto at fscayamamoto@gmail.com.

Retired Annuitant Appointment to the Police Services

Mr. Manfro presented a resolution to appoint David Benedict, a retired Police Services representative, as the police department’s range master. This appointment is intended to ensure continuity in operations until a permanent replacement is found. Benedict will provide training to both current staff and the future range master. According to California law, retired annuitants can work without reinstatement if they have specialized skills and do not exceed 960 hours in a fiscal year. Normally, a 180-day waiting period is required before hiring a retired annuitant, but this can be waived by council action. The resolution meets CalPERS requirements and is up for consideration.

Council member Charles said, “I’d like to thank the Range Master for his years of service.”
Council approved Unanimously

November 5th General Municipal Election Certification

Fred Jung won the City Council seat in District 1, Nick Dunlap won in District 2, and Jamie Valencia won in District 4. The resolution has been adopted.

Judge Shawn Nelson administered the oath of office to council member Fred Jung. Jung then administered the oath of office to council member Jamie Valencia and Nick Dunlap’s children administered his oath.

Oath and Swearing In

“I, ______, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California against all enemies, both foreign and domestic. I will bear true faith and allegiance to both Constitutions. I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office I am about to enter.

Furthermore, I swear (or affirm) that I do not advocate, nor am I a member of any party or organization, whether political or otherwise, that advocates for the overthrow of the Government of the United States or the State of California by force, violence, or other unlawful means. Within the five years immediately preceding this oath (or affirmation), I have not been a member of any such party or organization except as follows: ________________________________________________________________ (If there are no exceptions, please write “No Exceptions”).

During my time in office as ______________________________________________ (name of office), I will not advocate for or become a member of any party or organization, whether political or otherwise, that advocates for the overthrow of the Government of the United States or the State of California by force, violence, or other unlawful means.”

Farewell to Bruce Whitaker

Dunlap said, “We are here to celebrate not only the reelection of some council members but also the arrival of a new council member. Additionally, we celebrate the retirement of a longtime friend and great advocate for our Fullerton community, our outgoing council member, Bruce Whitaker.

“With that, I have a few ceremonial items to present to Bruce and Linda this evening. So, I’d like to invite them to come forward.”

Dunlap handed Linda Whitaker a bouquet and said, “There’s a saying: ‘Happy wife, happy life.’ Linda has been by Bruce’s side, offering great friendship and support over the years. I am very grateful to present these flowers to Linda tonight. There are many sacrifices made, not just by an elected council member serving the community, but also by their spouses and families. Sometimes they enjoy having the house to themselves on Tuesday nights, but other times they bear the burden of the taxi duties that often fall on one person.

“In addition, I have a couple of service plaques to present to Bruce. The first plaque is presented to Bruce Whitaker in recognition of his dedication and service to our city, dated from December 7th, 2010, to December 17th, 2024. He is certainly leaving with a lot of honors.”

A certificate was presented from Orange County Supervisor Chaffee’s representative who said, “This recognition is presented on behalf of all your years of service.”

Another representative said, “On behalf of Assembly Member Sharon Quirk-Silva and Assembly District 67, we would like to thank you for your leadership and recognize the extraordinary impact you’ve made on the city.”

Chris Norby said, “I am a longtime Fullerton resident and former mayor. Bruce, you served me for 10 years as my legislative aide, both on the Orange County Board of Supervisors and the California State Assembly. We made an impact together, and you certainly made an impact on the city. On behalf of the voters, the residents, and myself personally, thank you for your service to me and to this city.”

Whitaker then spoke, “For 21 years now, either Chris or I have been constituents of each other. This is the first time that is no longer true. I acknowledge the county supervisor and Judge Sean Nelson here tonight, as well as Chris Norby. It is a great honor to serve on a City Council, but it sometimes requires broad shoulders. I must admit that tonight I feel a sense of release that I no longer have that burden on my shoulders.

“I have jokingly told people that when I was initially elected to complete the remainder of a four-year term of Sean Nelson, it was originally a two-year term. Now, tonight I am ending 14 years. Sometimes I joke that I don’t know what I did wrong to deserve a term that long — it could be seen as a sentence for a lengthy imprisonment!

“One thing I have always stood for is making municipal services less costly for everyone. It’s trendy nowadays to discuss the underserved—those of lesser means, people with disabilities, or those on fixed incomes. However, I believe that management, including city councils and department heads, must work hard to deliver services efficiently and at the lowest possible cost, benefiting everyone.

“There are so many topics to discuss from my years of service. I will note that Greg Seaborne, myself, and others who have been around for a while have certainly gathered some gray hair, partly due to late council meetings, thick agendas, and a very active public. So, I thank you all for that.”

Fullerton Council Controversial Mayor Selection

Fred Jung self-nominated and was reappointed as the Mayor of Fullerton. 3 to 2 Zahra and Charles voted for Zahra as Mayor. 

Dr. Shana Charles was nominated for Mayor Pro tem by outgoing Mayor Dunlap. 3 to 2 Zahra and Charles voted for Zahra as Mayor Pro tem. 

Public Comments on Fair Rotation

of Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem

Karen Lloreda stated, “I looked back at my comments from the last time we went through this process. Unfortunately, all I had to do was change a few names. Tonight, you will reorganize the City Council. While the mayor in Fullerton has only one vote, equal to all other council members, the mayor often has more ceremonial obligations, represents the city as a figurehead, and works directly with the City Manager in setting agendas.

Council members are elected by their constituents and have been chosen by voters in their districts to represent the needs of their areas. Collectively, they serve everyone in the city. While council members may have different priorities and personalities, and may not always see eye to eye, they should respect the voters and the process of arriving at fair and equitable representation.

I sincerely ask you to set aside personal preferences and select a mayor and mayor Pro Tem who have earned the right to serve in these roles through their dedication and performance in the service of our city. Council Members Young and Dunlap have already served as mayors. Councilman Zahra and Councilwoman Charles have demonstrated good judgment and dedication to the people of this city.

Please prioritize fairness and professionalism in your choices. This evening, Miss Valencia, this is your opportunity to demonstrate independence and sound judgment. I hope you will honor that opportunity.”

Dominic Moonhart stated, “I live in District 3, which is represented by Council Member Charles. I would like to request that this Council allow Council Member Zahra the opportunity to become the mayor of this city. District 5 has not had a representative serve as mayor, and frankly, neither has District 3. While I know that Silva served as our mayor, that was during the at-large election days.

I respectfully ask that this Council honor the rotation principle, as other cities do, and allow Council Member Zahra to serve as mayor, alongside Council Member Charles. I admit I have a slight bias; I would like to see her as Mayor Pro Tem, with the possibility of Council Member Charles taking on that role next year.

Let’s not let this position become a source of conflict. If we continue to argue over the mayoral position, we might as well switch to a system with six districts and have an at-large mayor for two years. That is my proposed solution.

Thank you, and please consider allowing Council Member Zara to be the next mayor of Fullerton.”

Todd Harrison began by addressing Jamie, saying, “It feels a bit odd to use your first name without a proper introduction. It’s interesting that right at the start of this process, you are faced with significant decisions that will influence what happens in the city for years to come. The first action you take is just as important as your vote tonight. It’s akin to diving into the deep end of a swimming pool without knowing how to swim.

Here you are, sitting alongside your fellow city councilors, about to make a decision that will have a landmark effect on this council, given the long-standing power structure that has allowed certain factions and interests to dominate the roles of the mayor and mayor pro tem for so long.

You’re confronting a difficult choice. Personally, both my wife and I live in Councilman Zahra’s district, and we would like to see our area taken more seriously by finally having a seat near the center of the table, whatever you choose to call it. So, I urge you to think carefully about that, as well as the other matters at hand.

You are setting the tone for how things will progress over the next year. In a way, you’re calibrating just how much I’ll be following up with you in the coming months because I plan to continue attending these meetings. While this should not be the basis for your decision, I want you to know that I will still be here, encouraging you to take action.

I would like to see a City Council for Fullerton that has a slightly different character than before. I’m not criticizing Bruce; he has done a wonderful job for the city.”

Yolanda Harrison expressed her frustrations, stating, “I’m still hurting. Last year, there was nearly a riot in these council chambers because Zara did not receive at least the Pro Tem mayor position, which I believe was very unfair. I struggled to find the right words in English to describe it, but it was simply not right for him to be overlooked for Pro Tem. Jamie, you’re on the hot seat. We’ve essentially had the ‘Three Stooges’ running Fullerton for as long as I can remember, and it has turned into a comedy of errors.

I have better words to describe this, but I need to address the Dias, not the crowd. I heard a noise behind me that I had to respond to. Please don’t waste my time. I still have two minutes left, and I can stand here in silence to help you understand what it feels like to be in District 5 and not be heard.

Go ahead, try me. I’ve only taken about 30 seconds of my time, but that’s exactly how District 5 has felt: silenced, unable to voice concerns, and disrespected. There was a group of seniors who desperately needed assistance and were ignored. There are mothers in a very dangerous school situation, and I felt compelled to bring it up at the City Council just to get a response.

Maybe by next year, Lindsey will be addressed. As I said, Jamie, you’re on the hot seat. Good luck, and thank you.”

Jason Phillips said, “I’ve been trying to find the right words—implore, demand, ask—but I really hope that you consider returning to the way things were. It’s important for District 5 to have a voice. This situation is not just unfair; it’s unjust. I believe it speaks volumes about those who would vote to keep someone off that seat.

So, I’m asking you to elect Ahmad as mayor and Charles as our mayor Pro Tem and to reinstate the rotation. If you choose not to do this, it sends a strong message about where you stand and, frankly, how we can trust you. I want to trust you; I like you all. However, the decisions you make reflect your character and values. Therefore, I urge you to give a voice to District 5. Thank you.”

George Bushala Jr. stated, “Here are eight reasons why I don’t believe Zahra should represent our City Council members as mayor and why he undermines voter rights.

1. In 2018, after being elected to represent District 5, Mr. Zahra voted against allowing the voters of Fullerton to elect a replacement for an at-large seat vacated by Jesus Silva. Despite initially supporting a special election, he later opposed it, citing the cost. This contradicts his support for other questionable expenditures that far exceeded the projected costs of the election, raising concerns about his commitment to democratic processes and fiscal responsibility. (Click here to read the Fullerton Observer article) (Click here to read the Voice of OC article)

2. Mr. Zahra appointed himself to the Orange County Water District (OCWD), playing a key role in the appointment of Jan Flory to the City Council, which subsequently led to his own appointment to the OC WD Board. This raises concerns about a potential quid pro quo arrangement. Mr. Zahra seemed to support Flory’s appointment to the City Council in exchange for her backing his appointment to the OCWD Board. Such actions give the appearance of self-serving political maneuvering and erode public trust. (Click here to read the Daily Titan article) (Click here to read the Fullerton Observer article)

3. Mr. Zahra wasted public funds on a baseless lawsuit, supporting the expenditure of over $1,000,000 of taxpayer money to sue two local bloggers who downloaded a publicly available file from the city’s website. This lawsuit, which sought to suppress free speech and punish journalists for exposing city government missteps, was an unnecessary waste of public funds and a troubling attack on the press. (Click here to read the Fullerton Observer article) (Click here to read the Voice of OC article)

4. Mr. Zahra was involved in plagiarism and deceptive behavior. He falsely claimed authorship of an article in the Fullerton Observer that was written by staff at the Orange County Water District. This misrepresentation caused embarrassment for the newspaper.”

[This has been repeatedly addressed by the Fullerton Observer. The article in question was attributed to Zahra by mistake by the volunteer editor at the time. It has been corrected for years now.

Dr. Ahmad Zahra was commended for his contributions to the water district by the water board on several occasions and named one of the most influential people of 2019 by the OC Register.] 

Sharon Kennedy, the retired editor of the Fullerton Observer, shouted that the information being discussed was misinformation and lies as she stormed out Erin yelled at Saskia, calling her a loudmouth and telling her to be quiet.

Mayor Dunlap intervened from the dais, urging the audience to be quiet. “Let the man speak. Excuse me? Okay, you’re going to take a recess in a minute. If you’re going to keep this up, knock it off,” he said. He then asked the police chief to help control the situation.

Bushala continued, stating, “This misrepresentation has caused Zahra embarrassment for the newspaper and raises doubts about Mr. Zahra’s honesty and transparency. His actions suggest a willingness to mislead the public for political gain.”

Saskia Kennedy shouted that Bushala was lying.

Mayor Dunlap yelled again from the dais, insisting, “Let the man speak. You know what? We’re going to call a recess. Everyone has the right to talk. Knock it off. Can we behave like adults? If not, I’m trying to figure out if we can conduct ourselves like adults. Can you refrain from heckling? Okay, let’s get back on track.”

Bushala continued, “I’ll skip to point six: manipulating the 2022 election. During his reelection campaign, Mr. Zahra was accused of recruiting a fake candidate, Tony Castro, to split the vote with Oscar Valdez, the leading candidate in District 5. This manipulation of the electoral process undermines the integrity of our democratic system and puts Mr. Zahra’s commitment to fair elections into question. I was interrupted earlier, but I have two more quick points.

Point #7 addresses deceptive actions to gain U.S. citizenship. Mr. Zahra, a self-identified gay man, married a woman from Arkansas shortly after arriving in the United States, presumably to obtain citizenship. This action raises concerns about his ethics and integrity, particularly regarding the use of marriage for immigration benefits. While his sexual orientation is a personal matter, this maneuver to secure citizenship raises serious ethical questions about his character.”

Ahmad Zahra attempted to defend himself against slander and personal attacks but was shouted down by Mayor Dunlap. (Click here to read Fullerton Council Meeting Highlights Controversial Mayor Selection)

Bushala then addressed point #8: the allegation of filing a false police report against Vice Mayor Jung. In 2021, Mr. Zahra was involved in filing a false police report against Vice Mayor Jung. Such actions not only undermine trust in public City Council members but also threaten to damage the public’s confidence in their elected officials. Fabricating accusations against colleagues sets a dangerous precedent and raises significant ethical concerns.

Mayor Dunlap stated, “We’re not going to allow disruptions during meetings, and we won’t tolerate cheering from the audience. If you wish to speak, you have the same right as everyone else to express your views within our democratic process. You can do this here in the chambers or on Zoom. However, we will not accept heckling from the audience. Whether you like me or dislike me, or if you agree or disagree with my views, it’s all in the process. But you veto, do it from the proper venue, which is to come forward to the microphone and allow others their opportunity to speak.”

Erin said, “So in my opinion here, I think we should go back to letting the people vote for the mayor in this city. I think that you all are in cahoots with one another. Let’s let the people vote for the mayor of the city. We are a big enough city for it. We are. We have a lot of issues going on in the city. We have council members that are in the back pockets of developers here. We have council members and police officers who have done terrible crimes in this city. OK, we need to go back to voting for a mayor at this point. And we also need to go in and bring in the Orange County Sheriffs. Sheriffs get rid of the Fullerton police. That department across the street is so corrupt. I’ve been in this city long enough to see it. These people are bullies. The City Council are bullies. And I’m telling you right now, Jamie Valencia, I didn’t vote for you, and I would never vote for a Democrat in my life, ever, because to me, they’re filthy reptiles, OK? Filthy Look at what Democrats have done to this country. It runs it into the ground. Thank goodness we have Trump.”

Andre Charles said, “You guys remain my favorite City Council in the entire country. And I’m hopeful I can be a little bit different from the tone that’s seen happening right now. I just want to begin with one observation. Number one on the dice. The honorific is honorable. This is entirely appropriate because everyone here, you’ve been elected by the people of Fullerton to represent your neighborhoods and the city as a whole. Well, as a political consultant, I’ve seen a lot of different selections of mayors, a lot of different processes, and from my personal experience, sort of contentious arguments over who is essentially the first among equals. It’s usually a good sign of a well-run, well-functioning City Council and it can tend to have negative downstream impacts when a city needs to address the challenges that every municipality faces. So we come to this election. I believe that Honor Roll Council Member Zahra has served the longest time on City Council and has yet not been chosen by honorable colleagues to serve as mayor, and I really encourage honorable colleagues to rectify that matter and choose Council Member Zahra as the next mayor. This is not an endorsement of his actions. You can differ from his opinions and his votes, but it really is the fairest thing to do and I would actually say it’s the most honorable. Saying that everyone here is literally honorable, it’s the best thing that you can do. So I strongly encourage all five members to vote for Council Member Zahra to be our next mayor. But I will settle for just three of you.”

Anjali said, “I also want to support assigning council member Zahra to the mayoral position. Doctor Charles is Pro Tem. It’s been 6 years. We have a more mayoral rotation policy for a reason. I know that everybody has their differences on the days and sometimes it gets quiet. But I can’t think better way to show solidarity and a joint effort to represent the wishes of your constituents than to vote for the next in line for the mayoral rotation policy whom the constituents genuinely want.

“During the League of Women Voters Candidates Forum,” Jan Flory stated  “I had said that I do not believe in a mandatory rotation. And the reason that this name just popped into my head was Steve Rocco from the Orange County Unified School District who served from 2004 to 2008. And if you Google his name, you’ll see articles like this in Wikipedia about just how much of a whack job he was.

“I am here to say that there was no quick pro quo between me and Ahmad [Zahra]. And if you remember the appointment process, Ahmad originally asked that another person be appointed. I was not his favorite person at all. In fact, I think he did everything he could to avoid voting for me. But ultimately he did, and in the ensuing 2 years we became very good friends. And I’m here to tell you why I think Ahmad deserves to be the mayor. My reason for supporting Ahmad is this in the 14 years I served on the City Council I have never seen such a hard-working, involved, engaged council person, and what Ahmad was successful in doing was something that no other City Council person had done before and that was to activate District 5 and also in the in the process to activate District 4 all of a sudden. We have Spanish-speaking women who were coming up, nervous as they could possibly be, and speak before this council. He gave he gave the community a voice that we had not heard. I had tried when I was a council person. To do that but was unsuccessful at it. Ahmad dug in and he was successful and it is for that reason and many other reasons that I would support his being nominated to be the Pro Tem, it’s fair at this time.”

Brian said, “I am a relatively new resident of Fullerton, just moved here a couple of months ago. No idea what the hell is going on with this mayor stuff and the votes and I’m sure I’ll meet a whole lot of people telling me some kind of stories when this meeting is over. But I think it says something that y’all have that narrative and my neighbors and friends get to tell me that story instead of whatever has happened from y’all’s perspective. One of the things that got me to come back was that meeting that we had on lock. And there was a huge crowd here. Everybody wanted something to say. Somebody had a flight to catch and made it clear. You would leave on time for your flight. I believe the same gentleman with the flight to catch was the one who shot that down. I also believe that he stayed about an hour extra that night. To listen to the public. Like I said, I’m new. I don’t know y’all. I don’t know what the hell is going on in Fullerton’s history. I like somebody who listens to the constituents who have voted for all of you up here. You listened. You brought me back as a new resident to the city who’s interested in the City Council. “

Zee said“ “I’m a long-time resident. Congratulations to Jamie Valencia. We now have two females on the board. We are moving in the right direction. You are my representative. The City of Fullerton has had or has policies and procedures, including the rotation of mayor and Mayor Pro Tem so that each one has an opportunity to serve in those two positions. Miss Valencia, your vote tonight will serve as an optic. Mayor Nicholas Dunlap, you and I are big baseball fans. Everybody on the team gets a bat. You don’t skip the lineup when there is a shot at hitting the pitchers. Mr. Jung has had his shot. If you’re a baseball fan, follow the baseball rules. Follow the procedures and the policies that have been established in this city, and it’s someone else’s turn a shoot at the batter.

Curtis said, “I am an activist for the homeless, the veterans, those who take the bus, the Cal State Fullerton students, the seniors in low-income communities. I probably have been at almost every City Council meeting. I enjoy being here. I enjoy everybody. I believe in following the rules, doing the right thing, helping the city out. I think that Sarah, Doctor Zara, and Doctor Charles, have earned the opportunity to be Mayor Pro Tem. They earned that right through their hard work. They earned the right through their district. Their district has done nothing to deserve representation. Only the Grinch himself would try to steal that opportunity away. You know, it’s Christmas time and I think they deserve their Christmas presents and we’re here. We’re not going to let any Grinch steal their presents. We’re not going to walk out of here tonight as losers like we had before. Fullerton is better than that. We’re not going to go for those who say they’re going to do one thing and do another. It’s not a baseball game. It’s not baseball. The one thing I really like is that Zara supported the shelters for the homeless. I live in the Fullerton Navigation Center right now and the 150 people there and they’re very happy with what he contributed. He’s contributed to the warehouse over there on the State College Board big 500 square feet warehouses. We are not going to let him go without getting what he rightfully deserves. If you do it to him, you’ll do it for the rest of us. We have to stop it tonight,  no matter what.”