New leadership for city, school, water boards representing Yorba Linda expected in December

New leadership will be selected in December for the several elected governing boards that represent Yorba Linda residents, with most of the panels expected to follow the longtime practice of rotating members through the top positions.

Members of the various bodies appear to get along both professionally and personally, so residents can expect unanimous votes and little change in policies as a result of the selections, although some of the new leaders may promote different priorities.

The top positions are one-year terms and are largely ceremonial, with occupants chairing meetings, supervising discussions and representing the boards in the community. Often the jobholder has an advantage of higher visibility during an election year.

The Yorba Linda City Council is expected to follow the traditional voting pattern this year, although past years have seen personal antagonisms disrupt the sensible rotation policy. Gene Hernandez, first elected to the council in 2012, will vacate the mayor's chair.

Tara Campbell, elected two years ago, is in line to be mayor, with Beth Haney, also elected in 2016, replacing her as mayor pro tem. Campbell was a member of the city's Parks and Recreation Commission and is communications director for county supervisor Andrew Do.

Interestingly, Carlos Rodriguez, elected to replace Tom Lindsey, also was a member of the parks and recreation panel. Both were appointed commissioners a year before their elections to the council by council members who later endorsed their council runs.

The Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District board always follows a rotation policy, so expect eight-year trustee Carrie Buck to become president, replacing 18-year trustee Carol Downey. Ten-year trustee Eric Padget is in line to be vice president.

At the Yorba Linda Water District, expect Brooke Jones to become president, replacing Al Nederhood. Both were elected in 2016, when they replaced incumbents in recall balloting, and both won full four-year terms earlier this month.

The North Orange County Community College District board is expected to name Yorba Linda residents to the top two positions. Sixteen-year trustee Jeff Brown is in line for the presidency, replacing Jackie Rodarte, and two-year trustee Ryan Bent is in line to become vice president.

Bent, a city Library Commission member, represents most of Yorba Linda on the seven-person board, with Brown and Anaheim's Rodarte representing small westside sections.

At the county Municipal Water District, Yorba Linda resident and 18-year director Brett Barbre is expected to pass the president's position to Joan Finnegan, whose 33-year tenure includes time on a predecessor body.

A little-known fact: two apartment complexes in Yorba Linda's portion of Savi Ranch are in the Orange Unified and Rancho Santiago Communitry College districts. Kathy Moffat and Phil Yarbrough are in line to become presidents, respectively.