By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief
Following a two-week voting period, an election for eight area representatives and one at-large representative to sit on the Pacific Palisades Community Council board has ended and winning candidates have been announced.
Beginning October 1 for a two-year term, Area 1 will be represented by Murray Levy, Area 2 by Steve Cron, Area 3 by Haldis Toppel, Area 4 by Karen Ridgley, Area 5 by Kimberly Bloom, Area 6 by Cindy Simon, Area 7 by Julie Silliman and Area 8 by Reza Akef. Chris Spitz has been elected the at-large representative.
“Four hundred and twenty-six ballots were cast in an election with only one contested race,” according to the report. “We commend all the candidates for their effort, and we thank the Palisades community for participating in this election.”
The Election Committee counted and inspected, in accordance with PPCC bylaws, each questionable ballot. In most cases of vote disqualification, it was reported to be due to duplicate submissions of ballots. Disqualified votes did not change the outcome.
“Every decision concerning each ballot was unanimous and impartial, and was based strictly on the bylaws,” the report continued.
Individuals who live in Pacific Palisades and were at least 18 years old at the close of the election on September 2 were able to vote for an area representative in the area in which they live, as well as the at-large representative. Those who were 18 and older who did not live in the Palisades were able to vote for the at-large representative if they owned real property in or operated a business located in Pacific Palisades.
For the sole contested race, Ridgley was elected representative of Area 4 after receiving 94 votes to fellow candidate Reza Ronaghi’s 10.
“I am honored to have been re-elected to serve as the Area 4 representative to the Pacific Palisades Community Council,” Ridgley wrote in an emailed statement to the Palisadian-Post. “I value the council and its many benefits to the community. It is a forum to consider state and local legislation that will affect our community’s residents and to vote for or against them to influence our district, city and state legislators. Together, we resolve many local problems that require Council District 11 resources and are a communications center for dissemination of important safety and community information.”
Ridgley shared that one of her goals is to increase community awareness of and participation in PPCC meetings, activities and elections.
The at-large representative contest was also poised to be a contested race before Alan Goldsmith withdrew his candidacy, as well as Allison Holdorff Polhill dropping out of the race to represent Area 5 after resuming her work as senior advisor and district director for LAUSD Board Vice President Nick Melvoin.
The process for selecting alternates for each seat on the board is now underway. This will be led by the 2022 Committee of the Three Chairs, including Committee Chair David Card, Steve Boyers (PPCC chair 2006-08) and Barbara Kohn (PPCC chair 2012-14).
“The function of this committee is to nominate alternate area and at-large representatives,” according to information shared by the community council. “The committee will present its nominees to the full board at the first meeting in October, for affirmation and appointment. We encourage everyone who is interested in community service and in the work of the PPCC to apply for a first or second alternate role to the primary area rep for their residential area.”
Those who are interested in applying are invited to email a letter to info@pacpalicc.org, which states the area in which the applicant resides (including address), number of years as a resident (both in the Palisades and in the specific area for which applying as an alternate) and a statement of priorities, including “positions on issues the applicant believes are of importance to the community or to the candidate’s area.” Anyone applying for the at-large position need not be a resident but must submit the number of years they have owned property or operated a business in Pacific Palisades.
The selection process will take place throughout September, including consulting the primary representative. The deadline to apply is September 30.
For more information, visit pacpalicc.org.
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