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Stanton officials are removing HongTien Tran from the city’s planning commission for failing to take state mandated ethics and sexual harassment prevention trainings for almost two years ago.
On Tuesday, city council members voted unanimously to immediately remove Tran from the planning commission – a board of appointed officials that make recommendations on land use, development and zoning – to avoid liability.
“Sexual harassment training is essential for all of us,” said Councilman Donald Torres, who appointed Tran to the commission in 2023. “It’s not only because we have to follow the law, but because it’s essential to creating a safe space.”
Tran’s removal from the board means there are currently two vacant seats on the five-member board. The city expects to fill those spots in March or April.
Under a state law dubbed AB 1234, appointed city commissioners who receive compensation are required to complete two hours of ethics training within the first six months of their appointment and every two years after that.
Another state law – AB 1661 – requires an appointed city commissioner who is compensated to complete two hours of harassment prevention training within the first six months of their appointment and every two years after that.
Planning commissioners are paid $150 a month in Stanton, according to the city website.
City staff say they notified Tran of the requirement to complete the two trainings upon his appointment and have made more than a dozen attempts to reach out to him since then – even personally handing him letters at planning commission meetings about it.
“In addition, the Community Development Director and her staff have spoken to Commissioner Tran in person or on the phone to express the urgency of this matter and offer personal assistance,” reads a staff report.
Tran was given a final deadline of Dec. 31, 2024 to complete the trainings, but failed to do so, according to the report.
City Manager Hannah Shin-Heydorn said that last month they informed Tran that staff would recommend his removal from the board, but he didn’t respond.
“On the morning of February 7, staff received an email from Commissioner Tran stating that he had completed the required trainings. Commissioner Tran’s noncompliance through February 7 caused him to not only be out of compliance with state requirements, but also exposed the city to risk and liability,” she said, still recommending his removal.
Tran was appointed to the commission in March 2023 and his term was expected to end in November 2026.
Emily Wilson contributed to the reporting in this article.
Hosam Elattar is a Voice of OC reporter and corps member with Report for America, a GroundTruth initiative. Contact him at helattar@voiceofoc.org or on Twitter @ElattarHosam.
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