PLACENTIA

Before retiring from her 12-year seat on Placentia’s City Council, Carol Downey invited her grandsons, Drew, 2, and Brennan, 4, to “sit in grandma’s chair” one last time at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

Moments later, City Council newcomer Chris Lowe, 28, slid into Downey’s vacant seat. Lowe was sworn into office, along with veteran Councilman Norman Z. Eckenrode, 60. Lowe served as the Orange County representative for Gov. Pete Wilson and is the youngest councilman-elect in Placentia history. Eckenrode, who served as mayor, was elected to a sixth term last month. Edmund Ponce was reelected City Clerk and will also begin his sixth term. Constance Underhill assumes Eckenrode’s post as mayor, and Michael Maertzweiler is the mayor pro tem.