Layed up, but not out

Bryce Alderton

With triplets on the way Pam Julien Houchen spends most of her day at

home, but that is not stopping her from being an active participant in

Huntington Beach’s quest to find a new council member to fill the seat

vacated by the resignation of Dave Garofalo last month.

She was on the phone Monday listening in and voicing her thoughts

during the first round of interviews and will participate via phone

Friday, the next day of interviews. She will even cast her vote over the

telephone wires on Saturday when the council chooses a new member.

Although Julien Houchen is taking part in the council member selection

process, she said she will not be participating in city council meetings

until after the triplets are born.

While her phone participation is allowed under the Brown Act, Julien

Houchen said she does not want to bog the process down. She did feel that

the selection of a seventh council member was a crucial task that

demanded her input.

“I heard the answers people gave to the questions asked and made

notes,” she said.

Under the Brown Act, “all meetings of the legislative body shall be

open and public,” and “all teleconferenced locations must be made

accessible to the public,” which means Julien Houchen’s house is open to

the public during the interviews with a sergeant-at-arms present.

Though Julien Houchen said a due date hasn’t been set, she is

expecting to give birth to triplets, all girls, in six weeks.

She and her husband Bryan have picked out names: Katherine, Rachel and

Grace. The extended bed rest, sometimes 22 hours a day, is a big change

from her usual life style.

“I’m used to being extremely active in business and politics, but

[now] I’m often tired, it takes a lot out of a person,” Julien Houchen

said.

Her husband is behind her all the way.

“He’s been wonderful and thinks it’s great I’m sitting and conducting

business and involved with City Council work from home,” she said.