Planner joins council, filling Nguyen’s seat

The City Council has picked a longtime city planning commissioner to fill the seat vacated when Janet Nguyen became an Orange County supervisor.

Steve Jones, an investment company owner and planning commissioner since 1999, was chosen by a 3-1 vote at Monday night’s council meeting, with Mayor William Dalton the lone dissenter.

Jones was selected from 22 candidates who applied. The council decided to appoint Nguyen’s successor rather than hold a special election in November.

Jones was born and raised in Garden Grove and graduated from Rancho Alamitos High School. He is the president of Olympia Holdings Corp. and has been a member of the Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce for more than 10 years.