Lake Forest Council Appoints Own to Vector Board

After finally being appointed to the Orange County Vector Control Board, Councilwoman Marcia Rudolph swore Tuesday night that the Lake Forest City Council will soon know more about vector control than it ever hoped to learn.

Rudolph, who beat out two Lake Forest residents for the appointment, will represent the city on the 35-member board of the agency that deals with pest problems in the county, including roof rats and fire ants.

She will be the city's representative through Dec. 31, when the unfinished term she is completing will expire.

Even though she was running for the seat, Rudolph still voted on the appointment.

Three public interviews of prospective candidates took place Tuesday evening, with Rudolph stepping down from the council dais for her interview.

The other two applicants were longtime Lake Forest residents Tom Levene and Blanche Thoma.

The three fielded the exact same questions from the council.

Mayor Peter Herzog wanted to know what each applicant thought of the possibility of merging the small agency with a larger group. Councilman Scott Voigts asked if the applicants had visited the offices of the Vector Control District. Councilwoman Katheryn McCullough checked if the applicant would be willing to report back to the board after meetings.

Rudolph, who said she has applied and been rejected for the position previously, said she would be sure to give extensive reports on the district's activities.

Previous representatives have not done so, leaving the council in the dark about the latest news from the district, she said.

Rudolph, re-elected as a member of the Lake Forest City Council in 2008, has previously served as an alternate to the Orange County Vector Control District board.

She previously served on the council from the time of the city's incorporation in 1991 through 1994 and was elected again in 1996.