Stockton City Council on Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013, appointed Diane Burgos to fill the District 5 council seat left vacant by former Council Member Susan Eggman, voting 6-0 to adopt a resolution naming Burgos to serve through Dec. 31, 2014.

The council held a special meeting and a structured interview process for 12 applicants to the vacancy. City Clerk Bonnie Page described the procedure at the start: “The applicants taking part in this interview process will be sequestered and then escorted into the chamber one at a time,” and candidates answered two core questions in the first round before follow-up questioning by council members.

Why it matters: District 5 includes downtown and parts of South Stockton and has been central to council discussions about public safety, bankruptcy recovery and downtown revitalization. Candidates emphasized crime reduction, job creation and neighborhood programs as priorities; the council’s appointment will shape who represents those priorities through the end of the current term.

The council interviewed 12 applicants in alphabetical order: Don Aguilar; Richard Brewer II; Diane Burgos; Christina Fugazi; Ernesto Gonzales; Lucretia Hawkins; Robert Hong; Dwayne Izzetti; Gary Malloy; Michael Marino; Vincent Sales; and Mark Stebbins. Applicants were asked why they wanted the seat and what they would seek to accomplish. Applicants’ answers varied by background and experience: Don Aguilar said his motivation was “my passion and the love and honor I have for this community,” and outlined programs targeting recidivism and urban gardening. Richard Brewer emphasized annexing unincorporated pockets and reviving events through a Stockton Sports Commission-style effort to bring tourists and revenue. Diane Burgos, a social worker and law student, said she had returned to Stockton to raise a family and wanted to “make it a safe community for children,” stressing partnerships with existing community groups, mentorships and collaborations with local colleges. Other candidates highlighted downtown housing, community policing, truancy prevention and streamlined permitting as tools to spur recovery.

After the first round, the council ranked applicants and invited three finalists back for additional questioning: Diane Burgos, Christina Fugazi and Michael Marino. Following those final interviews, council members cast a second ballot to select the appointee. After tabulation, the council adopted a resolution appointing Diane Burgos to fill the District 5 vacancy, effective Jan. 9, 2013, through Dec. 31, 2014. The formal motion to adopt the resolution passed, recorded as “motion carries 6 to 0.”

The meeting record shows candidates and council members repeatedly raised the city’s fiscal constraints and public safety concerns. Several applicants said they would prioritize public-safety strategies that combine increased patrol presence with prevention programs and neighborhood engagement. A number of applicants also proposed downtown housing and incentives for business investment as ways to boost sales and transit-occupancy tax revenue.

Council members and staff also discussed ethics and disclosure procedures during the session. Candidates were reminded that, if they had met privately with council members during the selection process, that information should be disclosed before the vote so the full council has the same information. Diane Burgos disclosed that a relative works in the city’s Risk Management office; she said she would recuse herself from any matter that posed a conflict.

The council’s appointment closes the special meeting. The clerk said the seat remains open to election in the next regularly scheduled election cycle and encouraged applicants to remain involved in city affairs. The meeting adjourned following the resolution vote.