Potential Candidates Start to Pick Up Nomination Papers to Run in April City Council Race

• Diverse Cross-Section of Citizenry Coming Forth

BY BILL KOENEKER

Malibu registered voters who are considering whether to toss their hats into the ring and run in the April 2010 city council election started to pick up nominating papers as soon as the Dec. 21 start date allowed.
Two seats are up for grabs in the April race. There are no incumbents, since Mayor Sharon Barovsky and Councilmember Andy Stern will be termed out under municipal law.
Nominating papers are the first step in the process leading up to the start of the campaign. Each candidate must obtain 15 to 20 signatures of qualified Malibu voters before the papers are filed with the city clerk to start the election process.
Potential candidates include Malibu’s very first mayor, two planning commission members, two view preservation study group members, a Malibu High School activist and two individuals with no prior public track record.
Elected a member of the first city council and selected by the council to serve as the first mayor, Walt Keller, who is one of the original pro-incorporation activists and founders of the city, pulled papers. Because he served his two terms before the limits law went into effect, he is eligible to seek office again. He was narrowly defeated in his third race for a council seat in 2004 by 69 votes.
Planning commission members Ed Gillespie and Reagan Schaar have pulled papers. The planning commission has been a springboard for municipal elected office, as well as a vehicle for termed-out council members to continue their political activities.
Education activist and public works commissioner Laura Rosenthal has pulled nominating papers. She had announced her candidacy several months ago.
Two individuals from the now retired View Preservation Task Force have also pulled nominating papers. Harold Greene and Lou La Monte, who sat on opposite sides of the dais during the task force meetings, could face off next at the ballot box.
Both men have served or serve on other city commissions. Greene has previously run for a council seat. La Monte announced that former city council member and current planning commissioner Joan House would manage his campaign.
Two candidates who have not held city posts have also pulled papers. Jan Swift, who tried to make a run several years ago but was disqualified for not having enough qualified signatures on his nominating papers, and Kofi, who goes by only one name, and has already been seen campaigning at the shopping centers.
No one had returned completed paperwork by Tuesday afternoon, according to the city clerk, who said the deadline is Jan. 15.