SIXTEEN APPLY FOR SMYTH'S SEAT.

Byline: JUDY O'ROURKE Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA -- Sixteen candidates applied by Monday's deadline to be considered for appointment to a vacancy on the Santa Clarita City Council.

The council, due to name its choice Dec. 8, opted to appoint rather than call a special election to replace Councilman Cameron Smyth, elected earlier this month to the state Assembly.

City spokeswoman Gail Ortiz said this marks the first time the council has had to fill a vacancy of this kind and that officials are ``thrilled'' by the cross section of applicants.

``When you get a number of people in the community who are willing to serve in this capacity it is reflective of the volunteer spirit that exists in this community,'' she said.

The applicants are former mayor and five-term City Councilman Carl Boyer; Planning Commissioners Diane Trautman and Bill Kennedy; Parks and Recreation Commission chairwoman Laurie Ender; Paul Strickland, on the board of the William S. Hart Union High School District; Dr. Gene Dorio; Timothy Ben Boydston, executive director of the Canyon Theatre Guild; Maria Gutzeit, president of the Newhall County Water District board; Michael Cruz and Mark Hershey, who ran unsuccessfully for the council in April; Robert Spierer, a retired sheriff's station commander; Wendy Hahn, a retired California Highway Patrol officer; Bill Bolde, principal of Saugus High School; former city employee Nancy Delange; businessman Michael Lyons; and Alan Favish.

Smyth's council term expires in 2008 and the appointee will have the incumbent's edge in the election. Councilman Bob Kellar's term also expires then.

Councilman Frank Ferry said his pick will be a community leader who has volunteered for nonprofit organizations and other local groups.

``This is not a homecoming queen popularity contest; this is a very serious position,'' Ferry said. ``Who has a base of people that if they decide to run they have a base ... who will support them?''

The learning curve is a two-year proposition, he said, which includes grasping the issues and the players in town, the nuances of relationships and city laws. Ferry's pick in December may or may not get his support in 2008, he said.

Tonight the council plans to name a panel of 17 community members who would screen the council hopefuls and recommend their top picks to the council. The council would pick its favorite from among them.

The 17 panelists, recommended by City Manager Ken Pulskamp, would split into three groups to interview the entire pool of candidates Dec. 1.

The panelists could conduct public interviews Friday at the city Activities Center. After residents voice their views, each panelist would rank his or her top five choices, from which the top five overall would be culled.

Those five would participate in 30-minute interviews with the council Dec. 6. Community members could weigh in after the interviews end.

The four council members would then vote. If they cannot agree on an appointee, two days later they would interview the next five on the panel's list and take another vote.

Smyth's last day will be next Monday. His replacement would start Dec. 19.

judy.orourke(at)dailynews.com

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