After the passing of Orange City Treasurer Helen Walker on July 30, the Orange City Council had 60 days to appoint a new Treasurer or call an expensive 2013 special election. The City of Orange issued a press release on August 28 announcing that applications would be accepted until September 12, giving candidates two weeks to apply for the appointment.

Today was the sole Orange City Council meeting between the close of applications and the deadline to make an appointment to avert a 2013 special election.

In a unanimous, bipartisan vote, the City Council appointed Eric Woolery to fill the Orange City Treasurer’s vacancy.

OC Political snagged the first interview with the newly-minted Treasurer.

“I’ve lived in Orange for almost 30 years. It’s a great pleasure to serve my hometown,” Woolery told us. “I’m looking forward to serving the citizens of Orange and helping the City Council be good stewards of our taxpayer dollars.”

Councilman Fred Whitaker made the motion to appoint Woolery, which was seconded by both Councilman Mike Alvarez and Mayor Pro Tem Mark Murphy, though Alvarez just slightly quicker on the second.  Mayor Tita Smith also joined in the vote for Woolery.  Councilman Denis Bilodeau was absent from the meeting.

A CPA for over 20 years, Woolery has been a resident of Orange County since he was in high school. He served as an elected member of the Orange County Board of Education from 1996-2000 and a volunteer member of the City of Orange Audit Oversight Committee from 1997-2007. Woolery has extensive private sector experience as a staff accountant at Ernst & Young, a corporate controller, owner of a private accounting firm, and CFO of a multimillion dollar company. Since 2008, Woolery has served as Deputy Director of Administration for the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, in which he directed the DA’s financial and human resources.  As Councilman Whitaker noted: In that capacity, Woolery prepares and oversees a budget larger than that of the City of Orange.  (OC Political notes the Riverside County DA’s office has a $102 million budget, 11% larger than the City of Orange’s $92 million General Fund).

Woolery will earn $365 per month as Treasurer. He is now one of Orange County’s six elected City Treasurers (the other five are in Brea, Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Placentia, and San Clemente). All six City Treasurers’ terms expire in 2016.

As Republican Woolery succeeds Republican Walker, the partisan count of City Treasurers remains 3 Republicans (Woolery, Huntington Beach’s Alisa Cutchen, and Placentia’s Craig Green), 1 Democrat (Brea’s Glenn Parker), 1 Libertarian (San Clemente’s Mark Taylor), and 1 No Party Preference (Laguna Beach’s Laura Parisi).