RSM Residents Lean Toward Gamble, McGirr During Public Comments

It may have been a Sunday night, but plenty of residents met at City Hall to voice their opinions about who should be the next Rancho Santa Margarita city councilman. 

Ten residents took the microphone during the opening public comments portion of a special City Council meeting April 17.

Council members met to decide who would fill the council seat of longtime council member Gary Thompson, who resigned March 3. The council voted to continue the meeting at a later date, possibly as early as Tuesday, which would provide an opportunity for Mayor Tony Beall to interview candidates that have apparently made the short list: Carol Gamble, Kenney Hrabik, Michael Safranski, Peter Whittingham, Brad McGirr and Curt Stanley.

Councilmen put in order their top three candidates, and Gamble was the top candidate on two ballots. Safranski was the No. 2 candidate on three ballots. Hrabik was listed twice as a third choice and once as a first choice. Whittingham received a first- and third-place vote. McGirr received a second and Stanley a third.

Beall was out of town when Hrabik, Whittingham and Stanley were interviewed by the other three councilmen in of six candidates each. Beall was present, but councilman Jesse Petrilla was not, in.

Though officials eventually postponed the vote on which of the 12 candidates they would appoint, here’s what locals had to say about their chosen candidate or candidates.

(Speakers are listed in alphabetical order)

Patrick Brokaw: "Mr. Hrabik has dedicated himself in many ways and many respects to community outreach. … If you allow him an opportunity to serve, I’m certain he will not disappoint you or the community."

 Beverly Curtin: "Of all the candidates I saw interviewed, Carol can truly hit the ground running to help this city council get back to the business of doing what is best for my city."

Juli Pehrson: "I can honestly say that out of all the candidates that interviewed for the interim council seat, Carol Gamble and Brad McGirr were the only two that I would give a five to (out of a ranking system of 5, 3 or 1)."

Dan Figueroa: “I think he’s (McGirr) going to help keep the city on a sound basis … I hope you appoint Brad McGirr."

William Furniss: "(I recommend) Brad McGirr and Carol Gamble for this position. They bring the expertise and the qualities that I think have made this community, and made this council, great in the eyes of those around us."

Donna Furniss: "I was impressed both with Carol Gamble and Brad McGirr, and I don’t think that you would be making any errors in electing either one of those candidates."

Brad Goff: "It’s critical that the person chosen to take the place of councilman Thompson have the same vision that the original planners of this community did. One such candidate has a proven record of maintaining the vision of the planners, and her name is Carol Gamble."

Kathy Goff:  “Let her (Carol Gamble) bring greatness to our future. Carol is who we are, where we have been and where we are going.”

April Josephson: "She (Carol Gamble) can step in immediately and go to work, because she has the experience."

Jack Leonard:  "Former Mayor Gamble has earned the right to stand proudly among those in this audience... She deserves much credit for the privileges and rights we have today for local governance."

Steve Rosenberg: “I have to say that my wife and I were not surprised to see Brad Mcgirr in the list of finalists. ... Brad has an incredible sense of humor and an ability to navigate sensitive situations. … I encourage you to look beyond the resume and see someone who is committed to the community.”