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City Council appoints Jason Eric Schmidt as Huntington Beach treasurer; he is sworn in
Summary
The Huntington Beach City Council voted 7-0 to appoint Jason Eric Schmidt as city treasurer and immediately administered the oath of office. Councilmembers praised Schmidt's private-sector experience during a brief discussion; the council also voted to dissolve the ad-hoc committee that vetted candidates.
The Huntington Beach City Council on a unanimous 7-0 vote appointed Jason Eric Schmidt as city treasurer and administered the oath of office at the meeting held at the Civic Center. The motion to appoint was made from the dais and carried after a short round of remarks from council members.
Council members said Schmidt brings significant private-sector finance and legal experience. “He brings an exceptional combination of government and corporate experience,” Councilwoman Gracie Vandermark said during deliberations. Councilman Don Kennedy and Councilman Butch Grull said interviews conducted by an ad-hoc panel found Schmidt the strongest candidate.
Nut graf: The council approved Resolution 2025-56 to confirm the appointment and immediately swore Schmidt in; council also adopted the motion’s amendment to disband the ad-hoc committee that had been formed to vet treasurer candidates.
Council discussion focused on qualifications and process, not on policy changes. Council members referenced Schmidt’s educational and professional background in public remarks. “He holds an MBA and a law degree from Harvard,” Vandermark said during discussion; Councilman Kennedy and others said they had not known Schmidt previously and described the selection as based on interviews and professional qualifications.
Following the vote, County Supervisor Janet Nguyen administered the oath and Schmidt spoke briefly about transparency and stewardship. “Our office priorities will always be transparency in collecting taxes and prudence in investing those funds,” Schmidt said after taking the oath. He invited residents to meet him in the community.
Ending: The appointment takes effect immediately. The council also recorded a roll-call vote of yes from Councilmembers Twiney, Kennedy, McKeon, Burns, Vandermark, Grull and Williams; no legal or budgetary changes to the treasury functions were adopted at the meeting beyond the appointment itself.
