Huntington Park appoints a new councilwoman

By a 3-1 vote, the Huntington Park City Council appointed their new council member on Wednesday night. 

The City received 29 applications of interest and after a two-hour presentation by the majority of the applicants, the council voted for Nancy Martiz.

Martiz is a long-time resident of the Southeast Los Angeles (SELA) area. She became a Huntington Park resident in 2012 and in 2018, she bought her home where she proudly lives now. 

The primary reason the previous council seat was vacated was due to an investigation that revealed that the former council member Esmeralda Castillo didn’t live in the city.

During her three-minute presentation, Martiz told the council she had been preparing for over 20 years to represent in the city council and had the experience to back it up. 

Martiz graduated with two bachelor degrees in government and American Studies and a Master’s in Public Policy and Administration.

While in college she interned for the South Gate’s City Attorney and the Los Angeles Mayor’s office. While in graduate school, she worked for the South Gate Police Department supporting a violence prevention program.

She currently works as a senior consultant for U.S. Benefits Strategy & Well-being for the Walt Disney Company, while  staying as active in her local community as a Huntington Park civil service commissioner and remaining engaged in local community based organizations. 

“I’m here because I believe Huntington Park deserves green spaces and clean air, fair housing policies, safer streets and ethical leadership with the vision to move us forward,” she said.

Martiz said she’s ready to lead and be part of the solution, willing to represent the residents from small projects to larger ones, such as  the construction across Huntington Park for the L.A. Metro’s Southeast Gateway Line, expected to open in 2035. 

“I will advocate for the best interest of the residents for as long as I serve,” she said. “I won’t have all the answers, but I have a proven track record of being resourceful and finding the experts that create solutions to the problems we face.” 

Controversy before and after the vote

Councilmembers Jonathan Sanabria, Eduardo Martinez and Mayor Arturo Flores voted in favor of Martiz. Councilwoman Karina Macias voted against the appointment, stating she was worried due to legal nuances. She said she wasn’t willing to vote for any candidate due to the severity of the process that may be seen as illegal in the future. 

“I want to thank everyone who came here but this is a difficult situation,” Macias told the attendants. She thanked the candidates who gave a presentation and said if she was going to vote for anyone, it would be candidate Valentin Amezquita, who is a former Huntington Park councilman and long-time resident of the city. 

The issue is complicated because while a Los Angeles County judge warned Huntington Park that the city may risk a legal complexity if it moves forward with the new appointment, former councilwoman Castillo couldn’t perform her duty because she doesn’t live in the city, a requirement outlined in the Huntington Park municipal code. 

Mayor Arturo Flores said that while he is aware of the "tumultuous time” that the city is experiencing, he was glad to see the number of candidates with phenomenal resumes who expressed  interest in  representing their city. He told the candidates who didn’t get selected not to get discouraged and to consider applying for one of the many commissioner positions available.

“If anything, this is the time to get involved,” Flores said. 

After the vote for Martiz, she was sworn in as the newest councilwoman for the City of  Huntington Park. 

From the moment Martiz moved to the center of the chambers, Councilwoman Macias seemed discontent and uninterested. She immediately started texting and swiping on her cellphone during the swearing in, and when the newly-appointed Councilwoman Martiz was addressing the audience from her seat, next to Macias, the former mayor continued  swiping her cell phone. 

On her social media, Martiz said her appointment was a reminder that Huntington Park is a community of talented and inspiring neighbors ready to be part of the solution. 

“Change takes courage and we are ready to do the hard work,” she said.