Crowded field gets interviews

Danette Goulet

With 36 applicants all hoping to land in one vacant chair, the race

for the council seat recently vacated by Dave Garofalo may be one of the

most crowded games of musical chairs in Surf City history.

The remaining six City Council members have been interviewing council

hopefuls all week, with more scheduled for today and Friday. They are

expected to make their decision on Saturday morning.

Of the 39 residents who picked up applications for the job, 36 of them

submitted their names for consideration, most dropping off their bid in

the last two days of the two-week application window.

Although they took it down to the wire, all of the expected front

runners for the position applied.

Former councilwoman Grace Winchell, whose name was thrown around by

City Council members before they decided to go with the open application

process, turned in her papers, as did former council candidates Diane

Lenning, Norm Westwell, Bill Borden, Gerald Chapman and James Young.

Also in the running is former city planner Keith Bohl and many other

familiar faces such as Tom Livengood, Jill Hardy and Independent

columnist Ron Davis.

“I’m very favorably impressed with the caliber of candidates,” said

Councilman Ralph Bauer.

“I don’t think we will lack for political leadership, the difficult

thing is we can only pick one,” he continued. “The quality certainly,

among the majority, is high. They are educated, sensitive knowledgeable

people.”

Bauer said it is one of the largest turnouts he’s seen even in this, a

very active community.

“We’re very flattered that so many people want the job, it shows a

great activism,” he said.

* DANETTE GOULET is the assistant city editor. She can be reached at

(714) 965-7170 or by e-mail at o7 danette.goulet@latimes.comf7 .