Greater Orange News Service

He's back...Steve Rocco pulls papers for OUSD seat and...

Jon Dumitru and Kimberlee "Kim" Nichols pull papers for 2014 Orange City Council Race

Controversial perennial candidate Steve Rocco who once won an OUSD Trustee seat by listing himself as an "educator" has pulled papers to run for OUSD Area 7 Trustee seat. The Area 7 seat is currently held by Rick Ledesma -who also pulled papers to run for re-election.

Two days into the filing period and three people so far have pulled papers for two Orange City Council seats currently held by Councilman and Mayor Pro Tem Fred Whitaker and Councilman Denis Bilodeau.

Former Orange City Council member and unsuccessful mayoral candidate Jon Dumitru has pulled papers for a council seat in a bid for a political come back.  Dumitru , who's two mayoral campaigns were mired in controversy and scandal was soundly defeated in his last campaign by then Councilwomen and now Mayor Tita Smith. Dumitru had a fund raiser in June, but currently has no further campaign events listed on his website (Click on: DUMITRU  ).

Former Orange Unified Trustee Kimberlee "Kim " Nichols,  who has held numerous community positions including President of the Orange Library Foundation, has also pulled papers for the Orange City Council putting to rest the persistent rumor that  she might challenge the unpopular OUSD Trustee Timothy Surridge who defeated her for the seat. (Click on: NICHOLS 2010 ) .

When Nichols was President of the OUSD Board, she was one of the community leaders who tried to collect signatures to recall then Trustee Steve Rocco.  When that effort failed, Nichols pushed through the realignment of the OUSD Trustee Areas which changed Rocco's home out of his original Trustee area forcing him to run against Rick Ledesma-but not as an incumbent.  Rocco lost.

Roy Grangoff

Also pulling papers for the Orange City Council race is Roy Grangoff. Grangoff announced his campaign in December of 2013 and already has a website and event planned for this week ( Click on GRANGOFF ). 

Councilman Whitaker

Orange Councilman Fred Whitaker has also pulled papers for his re-election campaign. ( Click on: WHITAKER)

Meanwhile, perennial Orange City Council candidate Robert Douglas will again be on the ballot -but not for Orange City Council. Douglas has pulled papers for the Area 4 Trustee Seat for the Rancho Santiago Community College District currently held by Lawrence Labrado.  Trustee Labardo, a former educator and Outreach Director for CSU Fullerton, was first appointed to a vacancy on the RSCCD Board in 1994.

In Villa Park, three council seats are open.  Councilwomen Diana Fascenelli has pulled papers for re-election.  Councilman Brad Reese and Councilwomen Deborah Pauly are termed out of their seats.  Pauly has recently been a regular fixture at Orange Unified School Board meetings and there is widespread speculation that she will be running for the OUSD Trustee Area 4 Seat currently held by Trustee Kathy Moffat.

The controversial Pauly,  a self-professed proud Tea Party advocate, was removed as OC Republican Party Vice Chair in 2012 ( Republican Party ) as she unsuccessfully ran for OC Supervisor (Click On: SUPERVISOR RACE  ).  At the OUSD June 30, 2014 meeting, Pauly spoke against the 2014 Facilities Bond that was approved for the November ballot by the OUSD Board that night.  It is widely believed that Pauly will be leading the efforts against the OUSD 2014 Bond. On June 15th  Pauly posted this on her Facebook account: 

This is JUST what I wanted to do today...write ballot arguments! ARGH!

• Trustee Area 1

• Trustee Area 4

• Trustee Area  5

• Trustee Area  7

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