The conclusion of the 2016 election cycle last month has led to the changing of the guard with respect to a number of San Bernardino County political positions.
In Chino Hills, there was no change on the city council with the November 8 election when both Cynthia Moran and Art Bennett were reelected. On November 22, however, Ray Marquez, who has been on the city council since 2013, was selected by his colleagues to serve as Chino Hills mayor for the next year.
In neighboring Chino, both Tom Haughey and Glenn Duncan, the incumbents up for election in the city’s newly created District 1 and District 4 voting areas ran unopposed. Mayor Dennis Yates did not seek reelection and Eunice Ulloa, the incumbent in what is considered to be District 2, successfully vied for mayor. She was sworn in this week. As a result of her victory in the November 8, 2016 Chino General Municipal Election for mayor, a vacancy on the council has been declared in Ulloa’s District 2 position. In order to fill that vacancy, the Chino City Council has opted to accept applications and appoint a qualified individual to serve the remaining term of District 2, which expires in November 2018. Curiously, the application for that position is not limited merely to residents of District 2 but is open to all individuals who are residents and registered voters in the City of Chino.
There was no changing of the guard in Montclair, where incumbents John Dutrey and Carlyn Raft were reelected.
In Ontario, on December 6, Ruben Valencia, who ousted city councilman Paul Vincent Avila, when Valencia outpolled all nine of the other candidates in the race, including Avila and incumbent councilwoman Debra Dorst-Porada, was sworn into office. Porada hung on to her position by placing second. She was given the oath of office as well. Valencia’s ascendency makes for an interesting circumstance, as he lost to councilman Alan Wapner during a bitter campaign two years ago.
In Upland, the council will not meet until next Monday, at which point Debbie Stone, who bested Glenn Bozar in the race for mayor to succeed Ray Musser, will be installed. She will be joined by Janice Elliott, who was elected to the council post vacated by Bozar in his mayoral run. In the weeks ahead, the council will move to fill the position vacated by Stone as a result of her elevation to mayor. Speculation is that the position will go to either the second place finisher in the council race, Sid Robinson, or to Stephen Dunn, Upland’s former city manager and finance director who unsuccessfully ran for treasurer this year.
In Rancho Cucamonga, incumbents Lynne Kennedy and Sam Spagnolo carried the day on November 11.
In Fontana, Jesse Armendarez will not be sworn into office to replace incumbent Lydia Salazar-Wibert until next Tuesday.
In Rialto, no incumbents ran for council on November 11. Accordingly, on December 13 Andy Carrizales and Rafael Trujillo, who bested all others in the nine-way race, will be sworn into office, as will be incumbent mayor Deborah Robertson, who won reelection.
In Colton, where both of the incumbents who sought reelection, Isaac Suchil in District 6 and Frank Navarro in District 3, were victorious, the council saw a transition on Tuesday when Jack Woods, who prevailed over three others in November in the race to succeed incumbent Deirdre Bennett, who did not run, was sworn in.
Next week, Brian Reinarz will be sworn into office to replace outgoing Grand Terrace councilwoman Jackie Mitchell, who did not seek reelection. The other two incumbents in the Blue Mountain City, Sylvia Robles and William Hussey, ran in November and won.
There was no change in Loma Linda.
In Highland, newly elected council members Jesse Chavez and Anaeli Solano, whose political fortunes were advanced by the advent of a council ward system in this year’s vote, will be sworn in next week.
Next Tuesday in Redlands, Eddie Tejada will be sworn in to succeed John “Jim” James, whom Tejada edged by a .4 percent margin on November 11. Incumbent Pat Gilbreath, who handily won election this year, will remain in place.
In Yucca Valley, Jeff Drozd was sworn in to office on Tuesday. Incumbent Robert Lombardo survived the election.
In Twentynine Palms, Steve Bilderain was sworn into office, replacing Cora Heiser, who did not seek reelection.
In Needles, two new members of the city council, Clayton Hazlewood and Tona Belt, will be sworn into office next Tuesday.
On Tuesday, Rebekah Swanson and Larry Bird were sworn into office in the City of Progress, changing by two fifths the composition of the Hesperia City Council. Gone are Eric Schmidt, who failed to capture reelection, and Don Leonard, who did not run after 12 years on the council.
Vctorville Mayor Gloria Garcia and Victorville Councilman Jim Cox, who both won re-election in November, were joined on the council dais by Blanca Gomez, who ousted incumbent councilman Ryan McEachron and caught Lionel Dew, who was ahead in the voting during the earliest returns, for her council berth.
In Adelanto and Apple Valley, there was no change in the council composition in that city and town. In Adelanto, Jermaine Wright and Ed Camargo were comfortably reelected. In Apple Valley, Larry Cusack and Art Bishop similarly trounced their competition.