PPCC Elects Area, At-Large Representative Alternates

October 24 Meeting to Feature Guest Speakers on Neighborhood Watch, Public Safety and Crime Prevention

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

Pacific Palisades Community Council announced its new area and at-large representative alternates during a hybrid board meeting on Thursday, October 10, which took place virtually via Zoom and in person at American Legion Ronald Reagan-Palisades Post 283.

When it comes to the PPCC Board, the primary area representatives are elected by residents of their respective areas, with the at-large representative elected by “all community stakeholders.” They serve a two-year term, which began October 1 and will run through September 30, 2026.

“The area and at-large representatives’ alternates are first nominated by the Committee of Three Chairs and may then be elected by the PPCC Board at the first meeting in October (of those even years), and serve the same term as the primary representatives,” according to PPCC. “Alternates may also be nominated and elected at other times, should a primary representative or other alternate position become vacant.”

For this term, the Committee of Three Chairs was comprised of former PPCC Chairs: Maryam Zar, David Card and Steve Boyers.

“The elected representatives, which we call primaries, all get two alternates, so if the elected representative can’t be here, there will be one alternate to rely on,” PPCC Chair Emeritus Zar explained. “If that 1st alternate can’t make it, there’s a 2nd alternate.”

Per the PPCC bylaws, Zar continued, there was a one-month period of applications.

“We received quite a few,” Zar added. “I can let you know they were all excellent. We had a lot of great applicants.”

After PPCC Board approval during the October 10 meeting, Cindi Young will serve as 1st alternate and Joanna Spak as 2nd alternate for Area 1 Representative JoAnna Rodriguez. In Area 2, Carole White is 1st alternate and Diana Daniele 2nd alternate for Steve Cron.

Area 3 Representative Julia Nilsen has Robert Trinkkeller as 1st alternate and Joe Layton as 2nd, while Lee Ann Sanderson will serve as 1st alternate and Daphne Gronich as 2nd for Area 4, which is represented by Karen Ridgley.

In Area 5, Sharon Garrett will serve as 1st alternate and Allison Holdorff as 2nd alternate to Kimberly Bloom. The 1st alternate in Area 6—represented by Lorie Cudzil—is Cindy Simon, with 2nd alternate David Schwarz.

For Area 7, Rick McGeagh is 1st alternate and Alex Hoerner 2nd alternate for Representative Sharon Kilbride. In Area 8, there is a vacancy for 2nd alternate, but 1st alternate is Jan Shortz for the area represented by Andrew Wolfberg.

Serving as 1st alternate for At-Large Representative Chris Spitz is Michael Edlen, with Warren Jacob as 2nd alternate.

“PPCC is thrilled to have a such a diverse and strong board truly representing the voice of the community,” the organization wrote after the results were announced.

October 24 Meeting

The next PPCC meeting, which will take place virtually on Thursday, October 24, beginning at 6 p.m., will include “valuable and timely presentations” on Neighborhood Watch, as well as public safety and crime prevention.

Two experts—Cyndi Hench from Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa and Kathy Morgan from Brentwood Community Council—are slated to present during the meeting.

“Palisades HOA members, as well as residents of areas without an HOA (the Via Bluffs, El Medio Bluffs and Alphabet Streets in particular) are strongly encouraged to attend and learn about how to form a Neighborhood Watch to protect your neighborhood,” PPCC wrote ahead of the meeting.