Maverick Fountain Valley City Councilman Mark McCurdy shocked the city and colleagues Monday, Jan. 15, when he announced his resignation from the city governing body in a tersely worded letter to Rob Houston, city manager.
In part, the letter read, “At this time, I find it necessary to secure employment outside the area, and having no other option, to effective immediately, step down from my position serving on the City Council.
“It has been an honor to serve the citizens of Fountain Valley and, for that I will always be grateful.”
Houston said he was surprised to receive the letter Monday morning as he had not talked to McCurdy about the possibility beforehand.
Houston said he and members of the council would discuss the matter at their regular Tuesday meeting before deciding on a course of action.
McCurdy was not immediately available for comment, but his rocky relationship with fellow council members has been well-documented.
This year, for the second straight year, McCurdy was passed over in the city’s standard mayoral rotation, in part because of his refusal to participate in the the city’s strategic planning sessions, which he felt violated the state’s open meetings law. He was also often the lone dissenting vote in matters such as tax increases and spending.
McCurdy was popular with voters, receiving the most votes in the Nov. 2014 election for City Council.
When McCurdy was bypassed for a second time for mayor in December, a number of residents spoke to support him.
Resident Leston Trueblood called the action an “unprecedented personal vendetta and collective mission to publicly bully, shame and deny Mr. McCurdy his rotation right to be mayor of our city.”
McCurdy had one stint as mayor and believed he deserved another.
“I did an outstanding job in 2013 and I want an opportunity to do that again without being passed over,” he said. “I believe this happened because I have a difference of opinion.”