An impromptu “grassroots” community council meeting took place on the evening of May 19, with over 50 residents assembling in front of Fullerton City Hall, following the cancellation of the scheduled session by the City Council majority (Nick Dunlap, Fred Jung and Jaime Valencia). Grant Thornton, the accounting firm hired by the City of Fullerton, was scheduled to present its preliminary findings on the city’s misallocation of $10 million and the impending $13.7 million deficit. The meeting was also to address the resolution to deny a proposed three-story condominium project at the intersection of Harbor Blvd and Hermosa Dr, which could lead to a lawsuit under state law. The next city council meeting will be on June 2, the last night to vote in the primary election. Many observers believe the cancellation is a maneuver by Jung to avoid public scrutiny over the city’s budget shortfall during his county supervisor campaign.
The council majority’s tactics and the frequent meeting cancellations are a source of frustration for residents. The result was the Citizens Council Meeting, which served as equal parts protest, town hall, and political rally. Fullerton resident, business owner and mother of two, Sophia Kang said, “It is to the point where if they don’t want to talk about an issue, the council majority is going to vote not to talk about it.”
Paper placards bearing the names of Councilmembers Nick Dunlap, Fred Jung, and Jamie Valencia were placed at a table with chairs in front of the city hall building to signify their absence. Steven Sherry of Fullerton Forward PAC emceed the meeting. Attendees were invited to speak to the missing majority. Growing distrust of the council majority is inspiring more residents to become politically engaged. Seventeen residents spoke.
One middle-aged woman approached the microphone and, from her speaker, played the song “You Rang.” She swayed to the music and pumped her fist. One lyric spoke to the power of neighbors caring, which fit the spirit of the gathering. Midway through, a moment of silence was held for the victims of the recent San Diego mosque shooting. Many speakers discussed community diversity, safety and the need for inclusion.
Jason Phillips, a community organizer for OCCCO, and Lali Morales, a resident of District 4, discussed the harmful effects of the council’s postponement of the Immigration Legal Defense Fund and of mutual aid for our immigrant neighbors affected by ICE raids.
Morales stated that “policy delays and silence send a message that some residents don’t matter.” She added, “Families cannot pause uncertainty while waiting to see whether their dignity and safety are worthy of action.”
Patricia Hanzo of Indivisible CA45 reports that Fullerton received a 2024 directive to increase housing production and is currently in violation of state law. This predicament could lead to penalties for noncompliance. She presented the cautionary tale of the City of Huntington Beach to the south, citing repeated noncompliance, which has led to fines increasing from $10,000 a month to $50,000 a month starting in June 2026. Hanzo also raised concerns about plans to privatize the city’s water system and a potential conflict of interest in switching trash companies to a political donor.
To prevent city lawyers from “watering down protections,” Curtis Gamble, a long-time resident and community activist, has been advocating for the City Council to update its Municipal Code book and for residents to familiarize themselves with the codes. He has also proposed opening the Fullerton Transportation Center as a daytime low-barrier shelter and permitting OCTA drivers and churches to share shelter information when the police and the HOPE Center are unavailable.
The importance of the upcoming races to re-elect Councilmember Shana Charles and to elect a successor for Councilmember Ahmad Zahra in District 5 came up several times in various speeches. Councilmember Jung’s repeated holding of the mayoral seat has raised questions about the concentration of power and structural inequities within the council. Should Charles not be re-elected and a replacement for Zahra not be secured, Gaston Castellanos of Democrats of North Orange County alerted residents to the likelihood of a supermajority leading to charter amendments and other reversals that could impact the city’s future for years.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Sherry nominated Tim Johnson for “People’s Mayor.” Johnson acknowledged the nomination and then held up a framed certificate naming Councilmember Zahra as the “People’s Mayor” and Councilmember Charles as the “People’s Mayor Pro Tem.” Naming Zahra as the “People’s Mayor” is symbolic of residents’ calls for a return to mayoral rotation and the city’s history of fair distribution of leadership between the districts they represent.
For more information on Fullerton Forward visit www.fullertonforward.com
Above: Comments from the public on a variety of topics unrelated to politics took up most of the speaking time.
Below: There was an activity where attendees wrote down what they love about Fullerton and what improvements they would like to see.
Above: Tim Johnson, (nominated as Peoples Mayor by Steven Sherry) immediately passed the honor onto 5th District Councilmember Ahmad Zahra who, after serving the longest time on the council, was deprived of his turn to serve as mayor by the current council majority. District 2 Councilmember Charles (also deprived of the chance to serve her turn as mayor by the council majority) was elected The People’s Mayor Protem.
Above: Fullerton Forward members who organized the event
Linda Gardner, Michael Glick, Steven Sherry, and Nan Natanom-Harrold.
Above: Paper signs marked the names of the council majority who voted to cancel meetings despite serious issues coming before the city including financial problems and housing developments.
Above: Pizza was served to those attending the event
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Categories: Community Voices, Election, Elections, Local Events, Local News
Does “impromptu” and “grassroots” accurately describe this event that was advertised by the Observer in print and on their Facebook page?
From Editor Saskia Kennedy: It was advertised on the Fullerton Observer’s social media and website. It was not advertised in print, as it was sent to us after the last print issue went out.
If your images of the “Fraud Jung” signs were higher resolution one would see that they were paid for by the Fullerton Forward PAC, who evidently oppose Fred Jung’s candidacy for OC Supervisor. As reported in the story above Fullerton Forward’s Executive Director, Steven Sherry emceed the meeting. There is no explanation in the story about who funds this political action committee.
If wonder how the Observer would have reported the director of a political action committee opposing Connor Traut’s candidacy for OC Supervisor emceeing a meeting on city hall property, where he handed out anti-Traut signs and hung an anti Traut banner across the front of the building .
I understand the frustration with a cancelled meeting near an election, but a thinly veiled campaign event held on city property should be called out for what really is.
From Editor Saskia Kennedy: Are you planning a rally against Connor? I have covered rallies against candidates that I personally liked, such as Zahra and Newman. Usually, I don’t get invited to those rallies. I was not aware there would be Anti-Jung signs before I arrived. I did see you there as well. I was there for my favorite part of the meetings… Public Comments. I was not covering the story. And I would not have gone up to the mic and said anything if I had not heard someone say that it is hard to find information about what is going on in the city. I reminded people that the Observer is in print and online. And if they don’t like to read, they can go to Fullerton Transparency and see the video breakdown of the issue or the pictograph.
No, I’m not planning any such thing, but if I did I wouldn’t try to pretend it was something other than a campaign event.
I think the story’s author should have disclosed that the emcee is the director of a political action committee that paid for the anti-Jung signs and banner visible in the story images. The event was billed as a people’s meeting, but it appears to have been either directly organized or heavily influenced by a PAC involved in the upcoming election for 4th District Supervisor. The fact that you, the Observer editor, were not aware that these signs and the banner would be there after your news site had promoted the meeting makes it all the more important that the author disclose the involvement of the Fullerton Forward PAC (unless you are entirely comfortable the Observer appearing to collude with them).
Ed Response: Matt – you are right that connection should have been disclosed. The community volunteer reporter on that story apparently didn’t know the connection.
Boohoo you participated if you were there.
@ Observer staff you owe these people nothing. Stop feeding the trolls
Editor,
You say you weren’t covering the story, but here it appears on your “paper”. What luck you must have to get the scoop from some completely unrelated to you journalists!
You do know everyone sees right through this, right?
This and mom says she just hates seeing signs disrespecting Jung.
Who do you think you are fooling?
From Editor Saskia Kennedy: Let me clarify. The Fullerton Observer is an all-volunteer community-written newspaper. I personally was not covering this meeting. I don’t know what you think we are not disclosing or how you think we are trying to fool anyone. The photos and story on the event are by community volunteers.
I dislike all negative advertising coming from anyone on any side. I don’t know who Fullerton Forward is funded by or if they are actually a legit PAC. I do think the Observer should look into the groups and candidates using negative advertising as it has the Bushala backed FTFR PAC responsible for the “bad trout” signs around town.
The community town hall event was not advertised as a campaign event but I agree that the photos do seem to show that it was anti-Jung related.
Everything that happens in town that is of interest is reported in the Observer – that’s the paper’s job.
Perhaps the Observer can find out who is funding Fullerton Forward PAC before the election and let us all know.
Ed Response: Thanks for your suggestions Matt. I just added a link to Fullerton Forward PAC in the article. You can go there and read about the founders. Newly formed the group hasn’t had to file 460 yet.
I guess I thought a news organization might call them to find out who is funding their PAC, especially since they won’t be required to file a 460 until after the election (unless you count the filing they’ll be required to make within ten days of a major expenditure, if they spent enough on the signs).
Am I wrong or did the reference to Sherry emceeing the event disappear from the story?
And it looks like captions identify four individuals from Fullerton Forward as organizers of the meeting, but nowhere in the story is it explained that Fullerton Forward is a political action committee making expenditures against a candidate for OC Supervisor while voting is currently underway. Instead, you’ve helpfully provided a link to their website without explaining to readers that they are a PAC.
Isn’t it ironic that the 2 supposedly available council members skipped this event?