50 years ago: Yorba Linda residents chart own course as City Council meets twice in four days

Spirits were high 50 years ago this week as Yorba Linda residents eagerly entered a new era in which they would control their destiny as the county's 25^th city – with locally elected leaders making the decisions formerly reserved for politicians and bureaucrats in Santa Ana offices.

The fledgling city's newly elected governing body met twice within four days: on Nov. 2, 1967, to organize the first City Council and then on Nov. 6, 1967, for the first regular council session.

Here's a look at some of the council's early decisions:

--A longstanding tradition of rotating the mayorship among members began, with the following serving six-month mayor terms in order of electoral vote totals: Roland Bigonger, 1,049 votes; Whit Cromwell, 1,029; Bill Ross, 872; Burt Brooks, 838; and Herb Warren, 811.

A few succeeding councils ignored the tradition due to various political and personal feuds, but just one past council member never served at least one term as mayor. All five council seats were on the 1970 ballot, with Brooks, Ross and Warren defeated for re-election.

–Hired as first employees were William Probert, acting city administrator; Irene McCarter, city clerk; Jim Erickson, city attorney; Len Hampel, assistant city attorney; Alex Bowie and Homer McCormick, deputy city attorneys; John Toups, city engineer; and Bill Knitz, his assistant.

Another longstanding tradition of an invocation at each council meeting was initiated by Rev. Joseph Guthrie of the First Baptist Church at the first meeting, and longtime resident Hurless Barton was named to the unpaid city treasurer post at the second meeting.

--Among ordinances adopted at the first meeting: county laws applicable to Yorba Linda remain in force for 120 days or until replaced by city ordinances, council named as city's planning agency until a commission is appointed and building permits temporarily halted.

The first resolutions named the employees, set times for planning agency sessions at 7 p.m. first and third Mondays before the 8 p.m. council meetings at the Richard Nixon School and named the county sheriff as city police chief.

--First inquiry for annexation came at the first meeting for a west-side area that was in the proposed boundaries but eliminated by county supervisors to prevent a delay in incorporation. The request by 192 people was approved at the second meeting, and many other annexation requests were heard at the second and third meetings.

--First “no” vote was cast by Bill Ross at the third meeting on Nov. 20, also the first session to last past midnight (until 1:10 a.m.). Ross opposed the city's 14^th ordinance establishing a five-member Planning Commission. He wanted seven members.

--Other firsts: lease a Main Street building for a City Hall at $100 monthly, accept federal and state flags for City Hall display from the Rotary Club and denote November 1967 Community Development Month, requested by the Jaycees