The City Selection Committee meets in a few minutes to begin voting on appointments to the governing boards of various regional bodies such as the Orange County Transportation Authority and LAFCO.

As I noted yesterday, one of the OCTA directorships up is the 4th District population-weighted seat, to which Anaheim Mayor Pro Tem Gail Eastman was appointed a year ago.

Rumors have been swirling about whether Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait would vote to appoint Eastman, as he did last year. The latest word on the street is that he plans to vote for himself for the seat. Since Anaheim has about 48% of the vote, that would mean Eastman would need the vote of every other 4th District mayor.

Strange days.

UPDATE: Fullerton Mayor Bruce Whitaker just nominated Tait for the seat.

Gail Eastman speaking. Cites her work and experience as an OCTA Director, and points out that The mayor abstains on every OCTA-related item on the Anaheim council agenda by citing he has a conflict of interest.

Tait made no candidate statement other than he had served on the OCTA Board (for a few months in early 2011) and that he would abstain in anything related to the contract that Tait and Associates has with OCTA.

Now they are balloting.

Anaheim, Brea, Fullerton and La Habra voted for Tait. Buena Park and Placentia voted for Eastman. Tait gets the seat, and the 4th District population-weighted seat gets its fifth occupant in four years.

Applause followed the election result in every contest so far – with the stonily silent exception of the 4th District balloting. Not a single clap.