Beaumont Puts Out Call For New Council Member Applicants

BEAUMONT, CA — Beaumont officials are looking for applicants to fill a recently-vacated council seat. The council voted on Oct. 3 to remove Mark Orozco, who on Sept. 28 pleaded guilty in Riverside County Superior Court to perjury and bribery charges.

Orozco, who has been notably absent without comment from city council meetings and activities since his May indictment, had yet to announce his resignation. According to the District Attorney's office, the Beaumont resident can no longer legally hold any public office once he's sentenced for his crimes on Oct. 24.

To speed up the process of finding a replacement, though, the council voted to formally remove Orozco from his seat at the last meeting.

Now, those in interested in serving on the council have until noon Monday to complete and submit papers that could put them in line to fill Orozco's seat.

According to the City Clerk's Office, candidacy applications must be filled out and submitted via the city's website, www.Beaumont-Ca.gov. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and live in Beaumont. The council is slated to begin reviewing applications during its next regular meeting on Oct. 17.

"All residents interested in applying are required to submit an online application and appear before the City Council," the city said in a news release.

Watch below as the Beaumont City Council votes to remove Orozco from his city position.

A plea agreement last month reached between Orozco and the DA's office indicated the now-former city leader admitted one count each of perjury and acceptance of a bribe by a public official.

Prosecutors said the one-term councilman made a quid pro quo offer in 2016 to a homebuilder to vote for a pro-development candidate to fill an empty council seat in exchange for $15,000, but the solicited party balked and reported him to authorities.

The perjury charge was filed after investigators discovered Orozco used a political action committee called Move Beaumont Forward to try to frame Councilwoman Nancy Carroll, according to prosecutors. Carroll angered the defendant by voting for another candidate instead of him in December 2016, when the council picked a new mayor.

In retaliation, Orozco ordered the PAC — which had previously supported Carroll's council bid — to report in-kind donations it had given to her campaign as cash donations. The change caused Carroll's financial disclosure form to appear falsified, and a complaint was lodged against her with the Fair Political Practices Commission. Further investigation revealed that Carroll was innocent of the charges, according to the D.A.'s office.

As of Tuesday, Orozco's name remained listed on the city's website as a councilmember.

"Mark’s vision for the City is to maintain and improve the quality of life for its citizens by assuring responsible and sustainable growth, keeping Beaumont one of America's safest cities, and providing quality education with a safe environment for our children, while ensuring the City's fiscal stability and economic growth," his biography reads in-part.

He is slated to be sentenced on Oct. 24 in Riverside to three years probation and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.

SEE PREVIOUS:

• Guilty: Beaumont Councilman Mark Orozco Admits Perjury, Bribery Charges
• Beaumont Councilman Mark Orozco Calls on Colleague to Resign
• Beaumont Releases Statement On Indictment of City Council Member

— City News Service contributed to this report / Patch file photo by Renee Schiavone