Council Candidate Differences Emerge But
Remain Shallow
• Two Forums Are Virtual Carbon Copies
of Similar Policy Stances Devoid of Challenge
At last Wednesday night’s Malibu City
Council candidates forum, sponsored by the Point Dume Community
Association, and at the Saturday forum put on by the Malibu
Township Council one of the council hopefuls summed up one of
the challenges facing the five candidates vying for three seats
in the April 8 election.
“Some say it is hard to tell us
apart. Do you know the difference? Three of us are blonde with
long hair, and we are wearing black suits. How can you tell one
from the other? I am not sure we did a good job of that,”
said public relations company owner Susan Tellem.
However, there were moments during these
latest forums when differences between Tellem, incumbent Pamela
Conley Ulich, school board member Kathy Wisnicki, planning
commissioner John Sibert and self-described surfer and retailer
Jefferson Wagner began to emerge.
The candidates at both forums were asked
the same question then given one or two minutes to respond.
Candidates were told the first five questions had been
forwarded by the MTC board and other queries were submitted by
the audience. There were no more than a dozen attendees at the
MTC forum which was filmed for later broadcast.
The candidates were told that one of the
most asked questions submitted by the audience of 40 to 60
voters at Point Dume—the questions were chosen
randomly—was whether they would be a strong advocate for
homeowner view protection. That was the number one question
also asked at the MTC forum. Wisnicki speaking at Point Dume
said the query was “a loaded question,” and
indicated since the issue is on the ballot as an advisory
measure, she wanted to hear from the community.
At the MTC forum, Wisnicki said she had
lived on Point Dume and understood the question, but at the
same time wanted to talk to folks “on both sides of the
issue.”
Tellem responded that view protection is a
big issue, and she said the city definitely needs an ordinance.
At the MTC forum, Tellem said she understood how Malibuites
bought homes for their spectacular views. “It is
important to have a view ordinance. A number of cities have
enacted ordinances,” she added.
At the Point Dume forum, Sibert said he has
dealt with the issue often and said the matter needs to be
dealt with during the application process when a new house is
sited, noting that the law does not allow that. “I
support view protection. We need to consider views. The city
makes it a civil [procedure] or [we could] make it a city law
and the city do enforcement,” he added.
Wagner said he would support “any
kind of view protection,” and added that he wants the
city to consider reflection shed issues for solar panels. At
the MTC forum, he added that each homeowners association has
different issues and that would be important to take into
account.
“Not only do I support it, we enacted
one for the Malibu Country Estates,” said Conley Ulich at
Point Dume. “They came to the city and asked if we could
implement it.” The council member said view
protection legislation should also be considered a safety
measure since it has the effect of removing large trees that
become fuel for wildfires.
The ballot measure on view
protection, according to the incumbent, proved that the
city council is listening. “There are pros and
cons,” Conley Ulich said at the MTC event.
Candidates were asked how they would vote
on the volatile issue of banning overnight camping in the
Santa Monica Mountains.
Wisnicki, at Point Dume, said candidates
cannot comment on how they would vote. “It is in the
hands of the Coastal Commission. I believe the city made the
right decision. We have to assert ourselves with the same
passion as opposition to LNG,” she said. Later, at the
MTC event, Wisnicki said, “This seems to be the hot
topic. Overnight camping is permitted in the LCP. That is
what Susan Tellem argued for. She must not have understood
that,” she said.
Tellem, who noted at Point Dume she had led
the charge to the city council chambers urging they consider
the ban, said one of her colleagues voted to pass approval of
camping on to the council and another candidate had been
silent on the issue. “I fought the fire. I did not hear
anything about the fire from Kathy. The Corral Fire made a big
difference,” she added. At the MTC forum, Tellem
said this was her issue since she lead the charge. Tellem said
it took 69 people voicing their opposition before the
council changed their position. “Pam was the resistance
on the council. We still have to fight the Coastal
Commission,” she added.
Sibert said the Local Coastal Program,
“which was supported by one up here,” mandated
camping. Defending his vote on the planning commission,
Sibert indicated panelists said no to camping without a
needs assessment and nothing but cold camping would be allowed.
“We did not approve camping. I would not support
camping,” he said.
Sibert agreed that efforts opposing it at
the Coastal Commission level would have to be the same as the
opposition to LNG. “I don’t think the Coastal
Commission will care if there are not enough patrols,” he
added.
Wagner, at the Point Dume forum, blamed the
executive director of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy
for the problem. “Joe Edmiston. He seems to be a
ruthless ogre. He obtains his funding to acquire property by
increasing visitor counts. He has his realm. We have our
realm. I opposed it from the very beginning,” he
said. Wagner, at the MTC event, said he has experience
with fire safety in the mountains and knows what it takes from
first hand experience given his work with pyrotechnics in the
film industry.
Conley Ulich said she had voted against
overnight camping. She indicated she had met with Edmiston
about a library issue. She said, “He told me, if I did
not change my vote, he would not support the library [issue].
This is not just about all of us, it is about the environment.
We cannot let this go forward.” At the MTC meeting, she
said, “This issue has brought the community together. I
have always opposed overnight [camping]. It is
imperative when the Santa Anas blow there are
restrictions. We can’t keep people away. Everybody has a
right to be here and I want to protect all of you.”
The candidates, at the Point Dume meeting,
were then asked what they thought of the current council
membership. At the MTC forum, the council hopefuls were
asked if they thought the council had been polite and
respectful of the public.
Sibert said the council has done
“some things pretty well.” He added that except for
Conley Ulich, “They tended to function as a unit for
their own agenda. We need to do things differently.”
At the MTC meeting, Sibert said the council had been
polite “sometimes yes and sometimes no. As a
planning commissioner, I was always respectful. It is
critical. I deplore [it] if the council or commission is
rude.”
Tellem responded that, with the exception
of Conley Ulich, the council does not listen to the community.
“We had to fill the room to get them to vote [no on
overnight camping],” she said. At the MTC meeting, Tellem
said, “I do not think the city council has been
respectful, especially during the meeting on overnight camping,
they were not respectful. They need a PR person to speak on
their behalf.”
Wagner said the council has failed in a
number of ways, including its actions on water quality issues.
At the MTC forum, Wagner replied, “I have been to a
number of council meetings where I’ve noticed
the moans and groans [of the council].”
Conley Ulich said she gives the council a
B-plus. “Acquiring the Bluffs Park is huge. Legacy Park
is a role model to the world, and we took out a lot of
development. We have learned from our mistakes,” she
said. At the MTC forum, commenting on council politeness,
Conley Ulich laughed and said, “It depends on what day it
is. That is a tough question, I can only speak for
myself.”
Wisnicki said she sits on an elected body
and is reluctant to criticize. “I know what a difficult
job it is. Some things they have done well,” she said. At
the MTC forum, she said the best part of the meetings for her
is the public comment. “I can’t speak for the
city council, but as a board member I know one of the greatest
rights is to speak out. It is critical we do an effective job,” she said.
The council hopefuls were asked their views
on a separate school district.
Sibert reminded the audience that the
city council can only voice an opinion on the matter, but said
he favors home rule. “But we need to study it. The
demographics are changing. We need to take a hard look at
it,” he added.
Wagner insisted Malibu needs a separate
school district. “Everybody signed the document for
exploring a school district. It is a good thing,” he
added at the MTC event.
Conley Ulich said she too would support a
separate district. “Malibu comes up with the short end of
the stick. We see a pattern here. The city council also
supported looking at this,” she said. At the MTC meeting,
Conley Ulich likened it to when Malibu tried for cityhood.
“Everybody told us we could not be a city. There is a
will, there should be a way,” she said.
Wisnicki, at Point Dume, said she would try
to give a “very quick answer to a very complicated
issue.” She said, as a school board member, she is in a
precarious position to comment. “We need to
look at the feasibility. Can we afford it? Or can we
continue to collaborate? We will be able to
accomplish this,” she added. At the MTC forum,
Wisnicki repeated herself about looking at the
economics. “This is now the time to explore it,”
she said.
Tellem said she agreed with Conley Ulich.
“Malibu is the illegitimate stepchild of the school
district. We should be putting tax dollars into our own
kids. The money should stay here,” she said.
The five were also asked about water
quality issues, especially in light of the lawsuit brought by
the Santa Monica Baykeeper and the Natural Resources Defense
Council against the City of Malibu and Los Angeles County.
Wagner said the reasons for the lawsuit are
longstanding problems that have not been resolved and the
city council has not moved fast enough. “We need to
address the situation before they become lawsuits,”
he said. At the MTC event, he said the lack of movement in
enforcement issues brought on the lawsuit.
Conley Ulich said the city has done much,
including acquiring Legacy Park for water quality issues,
and the stormwater treatment facility is already online.
“We are doing a lot like working on Marie Canyon and
Paradise Cove,” she added. At the MTC forum, Conley Ulich
said the city has come a long way. “They sued us, but
they did not serve us. We are accountable for one percent of
the runoff. We have made water quality a top priority,”
she added.
Wisnicki said the city is dealing with four
other agencies, and municipal officials need to work together
with the county and collaborate with the other agencies.
“The city has made great strides, but needs to work with
other agencies,” she said.
Tellem said, “We have done too little
too late. The council is sitting on its hands.” At the
MTC event, she said the city attorney had said she was taking
care of everything. “She was wrong,” Tellem added.
Sibert said the issues have been around for
20 years and just now are experts starting to get the answers.
“We still don’t have all the information,
especially about upstream,” he noted.
Candidates at Point Dume were asked their
views about commercial development in the Civic Center area. At
the MTC event, they were asked if the city especially the
planning commission, was too willing to approve any
project before it.
Wagner said the city should draft a
specific plan. The problem, he said, is that developers may
begin to sue about what the other developer, who built first,
got, if entitlements are not meted out. At the MTC meeting, he
said that Conley Ulich was the “one lone dissenting
voter for the last four years” on drafting a specific
plan. “If I am elected there will be two dissenting
votes,” he said.
Conley Ulich said she also supports
drafting a specific plan, but the council instead opted
for an ad hoc committee to meet with property owners. “I
am tired of developers giving us the crumbs. We need a teen
center and senior center,” she stated. At the MTC forum,
she said the city council has voted to put off La Paz.
“They decided to give the project to this council,”
she added.
Wisnicki said the city does not have a
Civic Center plan and there are projects in the pipeline. She
said maybe more land could be taken out of development and
the city needs to take care of traffic and groundwater. At the
MTC event, she said there was a specific plan citizens created
that was rejected. “They thought it would allow for more
development,” she said. Wisnicki said she was
misquoted by another candidate when she was talking
about traffic generated by the proposed La Paz project.
“I said I thought it was a ridiculous report by the
traffic expert that traffic was so bad, that La Paz was not
going to make it worse. We need to sit down with other entities
for best solution for all parties.”
At Point Dume, Tellem said, “Kathy
said the traffic can’t get any worse. It is getting
worse.” Tellem indicated that there is the potential for
one million square feet of development. “If
there is a fire, there is a problem, we have only one
route in and out of Malibu,” she said. At the MTC
event, Tellem backtracked on the one million feet and
later talked about how the specific plan was tabled not
rejected because the developers said they would sue. On La
Paz, Tellem said it was irresponsible of the planning
commission to recommend approval of any plan given what
the water district and neighbors had reported.
Sibert said the city had a specific plan
that was not approved. “We can’t do another
moratorium. That was already done. We need to sit down with the
property owners. The fact is there is about a total of 390,000
square feet [of developable space],” he said. At the MTC
event, he said it is important to remember that the specific
plan cannot be resurrected. On La Paz, Sibert said “It
was a train that left the station.” He said the problem
is the water agency wants the developer to pay for the entire
off-site water tank infrastructure. “They want the La Paz
developer to pay for the entire thing,” he added.
Candidates were asked if they support a
college adjunct at the former sheriff’s facility, or
would they rather see the sub-station return.
“I am with [Sheriff] Lee Baca on this
one and oppose it. There is traffic and lots of problems
with the building,” said Tellem. “We have college
services at Pepperdine.” At the MTC forum, Tellem talked
about how Baca did not even know about the plans. “The
big problem is it is in the Civic Center.”
Sibert said it would be great to have Santa
Monica College in Malibu because its services are different
than Pepperdine’s. At the MTC event, Sibert said he
supported it, while at the same time insisting the community
needs a sheriff’s station. “I don’t see
anything wrong with a school,” he added.
Wagner said the former sheriff’s
station is an issue itself. “How could Lee Baca find out
two weeks ago? The city pays the sheriff,” said Wagner,
asking that the city and the agency talk.
“I don’t know where it should
go,” said Conley Ulich. “I would support what the
voters want. We could start with a trailer for the
sub-station.”
Wisnicki said that 64 percent of Malibu
students take courses in Santa Monica. “The station is
already existing. It would be useful for the community. There
could be a substation on campus. The county is willing to
negotiate with the college,” she noted.
At the MTC forum, the council hopefuls were
asked about if the city should issue more bonds and take on
more debt for parks and other amenities or if it should be put
to a vote of the people.
Conley Ulich said she voted against it
though she acknowledged the revenue stream from the lumber yard
rents is “becoming a money machine because of profit
participation.” She said the extra unanticipated revenue
could be leveraged out for parks, but she wants more firm
numbers. “I agree we look at this. I would like to slow
down. Look at Bear Stearns. I am not afraid to put that to a
vote of the people. We have millions of dollars. Let’s
let you decide,” she said.
Wagner said he wanted folks to remember the
city is talking about indebtedness and needed more of a plan.
He said if the city is getting so much for the leases then the
community is going to lose some of its retailers. “I
would put the future of indebtedness before the voters,”
he said.
Sibert echoed what Conley Ulich said.
“The rental income even without the profit sharing is
more than enough. There is $2 million for $1 million of debt
service. We are very set financially. Whether or not we can
take on additional debt, I cannot answer that right now. I do
not have the numbers. We have more than enough to cover
[current] debt. I think we are doing well,” he added.
Wisnicki said the question is actually
about certificates of participation and whether municipal
officials should put the matter to the voters. She noted any
other kind of bonds besides COPs requires approval of the
voters “COPs are an efficient way to pay for these. I
bring an expertise in the ways we can fund that. I am well
qualified to make decisions,” she said.
Tellem said as a business person she looked
at the matter very differently. “We cannot count on the
economy. The city has lawsuits. Sharon and Andy talked about
this. They talked about why this is not going for a vote.
Sharon said the voters would never approve it. They don’t
want the people to have a vote,” said Tellem,. who said
that is why the city chose COPs.
In a somewhat related question at the
MTC forum, the candidates were asked what would they do
since the city is now a landlord to reverse the trend of the
loss of mom and pop stores.
Wagner said Conley Ulich sat alone on the
council for the vote on a retail formula ordinance. “I
would stand shoulder to shoulder with Pam for retail
formula,” he said, acknowledging that as a retailer he
would support it.
Sibert noted the city did require in the
leasing agreement for the lumber yard that a certain percentage
of tenants be local. “We can look at the retail formula,
but we can’t do it in isolation. We need to sit down with
the developers and tell them what we need. We need to
negotiate, not litigate. Pam has looked at [retail
formula] from the San Francisco ordinance. We are not San
Francisco,” he said.
Wisnicki said she has been watching the
issue over the last 12 years as businesses were being squeezed
out. “Sherman and Jamie Lewis testified in favor of La
Paz saying they thought [it would be] creating more commercial
space for competition. They were right in some respects,”
she said, adding the council created an ad hoc committee to
look into the matter. “We can create what we want to see
in Malibu. I would be open for retail formula,” she
added.
Tellem said it is time for the community to
tell the developers what they want. “Kathy is right.
Sherman spoke for La Paz, but she was asking people look at me
how can you keep me here,” added Tellem, saying
nevertheless it is the selling of Malibu. “This is a big
issue for me.”
Conley Ulich said she had been working on
the issue for the last two years. “Michael Koss said I
was looking for solution in search of a problem. I’m like
Wayne Gretzky. I want to be in front of the puck. The local
merchants give back to us,” she said.
