New commissioner selection process adopted

Jennifer Kho

COSTA MESA -- In a process complicated with substitute motions and

revisions, the City Council this week unanimously agreed on a new way to

select planning commissioners.

The old process, which the council conceived in December to select an

entire commission after former commissioner Chris Fewel resigned, was a

messy one that left some commissioners feeling insulted or embarrassed.

The new method has to be better, Mayor Libby Cowan said.

“This is similar to a process we’ve used before that was successful,”

she said. “As I’ve said, it was not a good process that we used at the

beginning of the year. I look forward to this being used as the process

from now on.”

Until July 23, the city will accept applications for the empty

Planning Commission spot left by Katie Wilson, who resigned last month

because she moved to Seal Beach.

Each council member will review the applications and will select his

or her top five to nominate. The mayor will combine the nominations and

select the top 10 who received the most nominations.

On July 28, the council will have a special meeting to interview the

10 finalists and appoint the new commissioner.

Each council member will nominate his or her first-choice candidates

for each vacant position and that person will receive two points. A

second-choice candidate also will be selected and will receive one point.

The council will then vote between the two candidates with the most

points.

“I think it’s a good process,” Councilwoman Linda Dixon said. “I

believe that all the council members felt comfortable with it, and I

think it will work.”

Councilman Gary Monahan said the new process is more complicated than

it needs to be, but that it will work better that the last one.

“I tried to keep it simple and, of course, we had to make it

difficult,” he said. “It’s one opening and it could have been simple, but

it’s probably good that we put together a process for the next time that

commissioners are chosen. The big mistake we made last time was requiring

all five positions and doing it all at the same time. That’s what leads

to all the fighting and gobbledygook.”

Planning commissioners said the new process seems more orderly than

last year’s.

“I’ve seen all kinds of procedures over the years, and this sounds

like it is probably as good as any of them,” Planning Commissioner Walt

Davenport said. “I think it’s a way to do it, and it’s probably going to

work. It sounds orderly to me since I don’t have to go through it.”

Commissioner Bruce Garlich agreed.

“I’m glad they’re trying to come up with a way to do it that’s a

little more orderly than the last time,” he said. “I’m sure they’re

trying to make it better, and I’m sure they will.”

Tom Sutro, the only commissioner who was not reappointed in December,

said he doesn’t plan to run again despite the new process.

“I’ve taken on some other responsibilities,” he said. “I’m the chair

of Leadership Tomorrow and still serving on the Chamber [of Commerce]

board, so I’m probably going to pass.”

Eleanor Egan, a Costa Mesa resident who frequently attends council

meetings, said she thinks the new process sounds reasonable.

“At lease they all know what the procedure is ahead of time,” she

said. “I think that’s what messed things up last time. Nobody knew what

was going to happen, and they were taken by surprise.”

The meeting to select the new commissioner is scheduled for 9 a.m.

July 28 at the Neighborhood Community Center, 1845 Park Ave., Costa Mesa.