ORANGE : Mayor Smith Won’t Run for Reelection

Mayor Don E. Smith has announced he will not seek reelection in November, ending a 24-year career on the City Council.

Smith, 69, has been on a leave of absence since undergoing major surgery on June 21 to remove a blood clot from an artery.

“The future of the city is bright, and I highly value the confidence the citizens of Orange have placed in me over the years,” Smith said in a statement released this week. “The time is right for the my wife, Gladie, and I to take more time to enjoy our family and do some traveling.”

Smith has been elected to the City Council seven consecutive times and served two previous terms as mayor. He is recovering from surgery in Palm Desert but said he intends to complete his council term that expires in November.

Councilman Gene Beyer, who has served as acting mayor in Smith’s absence, called Smith’s decision “a tremendous loss.”

“He has dedicated 25 years of his life to the city of Orange and to public service, and there aren’t too many people who can say that,” Beyer said. “We’re going to miss him, but we’ll certainly seek his advice and counsel in the coming years.”

Beyer and Councilman Fred L. Barrera have both announced they will seek the mayor’s office. Council members Joanne Coontz and William Steiner will seek reelection on the Nov. 6 ballot.