Commissions appointed after frantic night

Jennifer Kho

COSTA MESA -- In a process that left some commissioners feeling

insulted or embarrassed, the City Council on Monday selected its new

planning and parks commissions.

The process was a frantic flurry of nominations, substitute

nominations and interruptions.

Council members lost track of the number of times they voted, misvoted

and asked to clear the boards for “do-overs” and struggled to get the

floor for nominations.

At one point, when Mayor Libby Cowan refused to allow Councilman Chris

Steel make a motion, Councilman Gary Monahan asked for the chance to

speak and then “yielded the floor” to Steel.

“The process needs a lot of work,” Monahan said. “I think it was not

up to the standards of professionalism that I believe should be adhered

to. It’s just not right. [Councilman Chris Steel] is an elected member of

council and has a right to speak. He should be recognized when he asks

for the floor.”

Cowan did not return phone calls by press time.

The planning commissioners who will begin new terms at the next

meeting, scheduled for Monday, are current Planning Commission Chairman

Walt Davenport, Planning Commissioners Katie Wilson and Katrina Foley,

Wimbledon Village Housing Assn. President Bruce Garlich, and Bill

Perkins, who came in last in a race for a City Council position in

November.

“Wow!” Perkins said after the decision was made Monday. “I didn’t

think that I was going to get a chance for a vote. I’m looking forward to

serving on the commission. Hopefully, I will do the best for the city.”

Foley said Garlich, who has spoken to the commission on various issues

at several meetings, is a strong proponent of residential issues and will

fit in well as a replacement for former Commissioner Chris Fewel. Fewel

resigned in December.

Commissioner Tom Sutro was the only planning commissioner who was not

reappointed. He said he is not bitter.

“When one door closes, another one opens, and you never know what’s

going to be behind the next door,” said Sutro, who also ran

unsuccessfully for a City Council seat last year. “I’m disappointed but

looking forward to whatever challenges lie ahead.”

Sutro said he thinks his message that the city needs to reach a

balance between businesses and residents has become unpopular.

“People put traffic and business in the same group, and they don’t

like traffic,” he said. “But we all need doctors, pharmacies, clothing

stores, computer stores and other services we need to run our lives, and

that creates a lot of traffic. Businesses do create traffic, but it comes

from the residents.”

Sutro said Tuesday the process of appointing new commissioners was an

embarrassment.

“The residents of Costa Mesa deserve better than what happened last

night,” he said. “Even Deputy City Clerk Mary Elliot couldn’t clear the

boards fast enough. I understand it is [political], but there’s still a

process and I think that it could have been handled a little better.”

The new Parks Commission consists of Commissioners Mark Harris and

Margy Johnston; Citizens’ Budget Advisory Committee member Robert Love;

Kim Pederson, a Newport Beach Parks Department employee; and Kelly

Feldman, who protested a year ago against the potential sale of Balearic

Park.

“I’m very pleased to be reappointed,” Harris said. “I’m sorry to see

some of my fellow commissioners are not being reappointed, but we do

serve at the City Council’s pleasure, and they have the right to replace

or remove any of us at any time, and they don’t really need to give us a

reason why.”

Parks Commission Chairman Chris Sarris and Vice Chairman Jon Zich had

their terms, originally scheduled to last until 2003, cut short.

“It is apparent there is a great deal of acrimony among the City

Council members that exists in addition to what might otherwise be called

honest disagreement,” Zich said Tuesday. “I’m disappointed to have had my

commission appointment overturned, and I hope that this council can find

a way to restore my confidence in their ability to respect differences

without insulting each other and those residents wishing to be involved

in their community’s decisions.”

Zich was reappointed only nine months ago after serving more than a

year to complete a previous commissioner’s term. He said he has no idea

why he wasn’t reappointed and is disappointed he never received feedback

from any of the council members.

He said he plans to reapply in two years.

Sarris said he was less hurt by the appointments because he decided --

after he applied for a new term -- to move to Newport Beach in a few

months.

“I had a great time serving on the commission,” he said. “I had six

years of wonderful experience, so I can’t say anything bad about it. It

was just fun having direct input on decisions on youth sports in the city

and different issues that came before us. It was very rewarding.”

Sarris said he is sure the new members will have a lot to contribute

and that he doesn’t think it will take them long to get up to speed.

He called the appointment process “interesting” and said he is unsure

if the new Parks Commission that will take over Feb. 28 will be as

diverse in their views as the existing one.

“I think part of what we’re seeing is the fallout from the acrimony of

the City Council members,” Sarris said. “We’re seeing the effects of

that. It’s fun to watch, but probably not fun for the city. [Former

Councilman] Joe Erickson had a lot of personal integrity and put the city

before himself, but I think a lot of that has gone out with this new

council. But the city is not going to fall apart by any means.”