After spending three hours interviewing 15 candidates, Rialto’s city council voted Tuesday night to appoint Edward Montoya Jr., a former Army medic and nonprofit leader, to the seat left vacant by Mayor Joe Baca Sr.
Baca Sr. was elected as the city’s new mayor in last November’s general election. Montoya Jr. is set to be sworn in to finish his term, which expires at the end of 2026.
While the vote was unanimous, Baca shared his desire to see future appointments follow the “highest vote getter” approach, while residents expressed frustration over what they considered an orchestrated decision to appoint Montoya…