For the Malibu City Council:
-Skylar Peak
-Jefferson Wagner
-Laureen Sills
This was a very difficult decision, as this election produced six very capable candidates. We’re hopeful that they all will stay engaged in Malibu politics because the city needs thoughtful engaged people in the leadership. Past elections and experience has shown that many past city council members have run and lost the first time and then run again and won.
Skylar had a bit of a rocky start on the council but appears to have acquired a family, a child and a maturity. His colleagues, initially somewhat skeptical, have come around and voted him pro tem. He’s knowledgeable and engaged. Our only caveat would be that the city council is really a full-time job and we need all of Skylar’s energy and attendance in the future.
Jefferson has already served a term on the city council, took a term off and is now running for his second term. Everyone who worked with him found him hardworking, conscientious and open to views that were sometimes contrary to his own.
In choosing between the four new candidates for the third council seat, we recommend Laureen Sills for her long history of engagement in the schools, the Malibu community, her work for special education for children and her people skills in bringing about change wherever she has applied herself.
Whatever the results of this election, the complexion of the city council will change. We’re loosing two very experienced and able members in Joan House and John Sibert. We believe the new council should take its time in making changes, whether it be in personnel or policy. We are all coming off a horrible presidential race and all of the terrible feeling that it has engendered. We certainly don’t want to recreate that lack of civility locally.
Since three seats on the council are open this time, whomever is elected should be aware that continuity is important in managing a city. There is nothing worse then a new team coming in and trying to throw out whatever has gone before them.
There are a number things in the pipeline, like the Charmlee Park / Bluffs Park land swap and the plans for the future recreational facilities at Malibu Bluffs Park, which have been in development for several years and which have had a large amount of community input. There is the entire Civic Center sewer plan, now under construction, which will have all sorts of implications and impacts for years to come. There is the necessary repair and replacement of our entire Topanga / Malibu water system, which has been dangerously outmoded for years. That means creating additional water storage, replacing old inadequate pipes with new pipes capable of handling the load and giving us better fire protection. And then there is traffic and the ever-worsening traffic on PCH, which requires a council that can work politically with lots of other government agencies that impact our lives, like Caltrans and the Coastal Commission. Finally, there is the movement for our own school district and the wonderful opportunities that offers.
Whoever is elected certainly has their work cut out for them and we wish them the best of luck.