Quintin Bentley will not serve as Cypress’ newest city councilman after withdrawing from the appointment process less than a week after city council members picked him to be their newest colleague.
Instead, city officials will consider once again how to fill a vacancy on the city council at a special 4 p.m. meeting this Friday as the Nov. 30 deadline approaches to address the vacancy that opened up last month.
Bentley, a city recreation and community services commissioner, was chosen to fill the vacancy left by former councilman Scott Minikus – who left his District 5 seat in October to take an out-of-state job.
After publication of this story, city officials provided Bentley’s withdrawal letter late Monday afternoon.
“After careful consideration I regret to inform you that I will not accept the appointment to the council. I was in a field of highly qualified candidates and I was not anybody’s first choice for the position,” Bentley said in his Friday afternoon email to the city.
Bentley told city officials the vacant seat should go to a more qualified candidate.
“I was appointed because they could not agree on a more qualified candidate. I was surprised by the decision and want to stand behind my ideals that the seat should go to the most qualified person. I understand that puts the council in a tough position and I feel badly to put you all in that situation. However, I want to make this decision quickly so you have time to prepare,” he said.
After this story was published, some residents reached out to dispute Bentley’s résumé, which listed him as a special education teacher. His LinkedIn account does not say that he has worked as a special education teacher; instead, it says that he volunteers to coach girls flag football at Cypress High School.
City officials announced his withdrawal from the appointment process in a Monday news release – five days after city council members picked Bentley out of a host of applicants, including former Councilmember Frances Marquez and former Mayor Anne Mallari to fill the role.
[Read: More Orange County Towns Grapple With City Council Vacancies]
Cypress officials previously decided to appoint Bentley after going back and forth among the seven candidates – at one point even considering a coin toss.
“We had some challenging deliberations,” Mayor David Burke said in a Monday afternoon phone call. “The good news is that we have a number of qualified applicants. I’m optimistic we’ll be able to make a good choice to fill the vacancy.”
He said he’ll share more of his perspective during the Nov. 28 meeting and that Friday was the earliest day — besides Thanksgiving — the council could meet to discuss the vacancy again before the Nov. 30 deadline.
“I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing that the council has time to reflect on the last meeting and consider some of the points that colleagues and residents made,” Burke said.
Officials did not address why Bentley withdrew from his appointment in the Monday release.
Bentley said in his appointment application he wanted to encourage civic engagement in the city.
“The future of Cypress depends on engaged, inclusive, and transparent leadership. I envision a city where decision-making involves collaboration with residents, businesses, and community organizations, ensuring all voices are heard and considered,” reads his application.
“By fostering strong communication and trust between the city and its residents, we can make decisions that are not only smart and sustainable but also reflect the values and priorities of the people in the community.”
