The City Council election is April 13. Following are summaries on the candidates for the 2004 race.
Note: The endorsements listed are not necessarily the only ones received by the candidate. Also, a person or organization may have endorsed more than one candidate, but that person or organization may not necessarily be listed with all of its endorsees.
Pamela Conley Ulich
Age: 37
Occupation: Attorney
Bio: Pamela Conley Ulich was a political unknown prior to the campaign, although she was co-vice president of the Malibu Rivera II Homeowners Association in 2001. Conley Ulich refuses to say how she voted on Measure M, and calls herself an independent candidate. She moved to Malibu in 1997. She said she supports establishing an arts commission in Malibu, if elected.
Major endorsements: Pamela Conley Ulich said she had a large number of endorsements, but in fairness to all of her supporters, she refused to pick out any as more significant than another.
Quote: “I am not sponsored by any special interest group. I have sought the support of every citizen of this community … I believe the voters are tired of name calling, and I hope the polls reflect that in April.”
Jeff Jennings
Age: 60
Occupation: Attorney
Bio: Jeff Jennings served on the City Council from 1994-1998 and from 2000 to the present. He was chair of the committee that created Malibu High School in the early 1990s. Jennings supported Measure M. He moved to Malibu in 1972.
Major endorsements: All the City Councilmembers; County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky; Planning Commissioners David Fox, Pete Anthony and Les Moss; local public school PTA presidents; the Malibu Urgent Care board members; Malibu Little League Vice President Jack Evans.
Quote: “One of the problems with politics… in this town is anybody who proposes a solution… is immediately attacked as being pro-development. The alternative to proposing a solution is ignoring the problem, and hoping it goes away. And that… will have disastrous consequences.”
Ken Kearsley
Age: 68
Occupation: Retired high school teacher/ works part-time with family business
Bio: Ken Kearsley was elected to the council in 2000. His local political involvement began in 1963 when he formed Malibu Citizens for Good Community Planning to fight the first county sewer bond issue. He also helped to defeat the second sewer proposal and the proposed Corral Canyon nuclear plant. Kearsley supported Measure M. He moved to Malibu in 1961.
Major endorsements: All the City Councilmembers; Former Planning Commissioner Richard Carrigan; County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky; planning commissioners David Fox, Pete Anthony and Les Moss.
Quote: “This council has gotten the ship of the city turned around and in motion.”
Walt Keller
Age:73
Occupation: Retired aerospace engineer
Bio: Walt Keller was the leader in gaining cityhood for Malibu. He then became the city’s first mayor. Keller lost a council re-election bid council in 1994, but returned with a victory in the 1996 election. He was defeated again in 2000. Keller said he is running because the current council has become just like the county government prior to cityhood. He was opposed to Measure M. Keller moved to Malibu in 1961.
Major endorsements: Former planning commissioners Richard Carrigan and Robert Adler, Former mayors Jeff Kramer and Carolyn Van Horn, Malibu CAN, Save Open Space, Angeles Chapter of the Sierra Club.
Quote: “Something needs to be done about a council that is more dedicated to serving developers than it is the residents of Malibu.”
Jay Liebig
Age:60
Occupation: Financial company executive
Bio:Jay Liebig is the former president of Taxpayers for Livable Communities, an organization that has been involved in four lawsuits against the city. He says the city should drop all its litigation with the California Coastal Commission and work to amend the LCP it created for Malibu with the document drafted in 2000 by a citizen’s committee as a framework. Liebig said he was opposed to Measure M, although county records say he did not vote in the election. Liebig said he did. He moved to Malibu in 1998.
Major Endorsements: Malibu CAN, Angeles Chapter of the Sierra Club, Ozzie Silna, Steve Uhring, Hill Covington, Gill Segal.
Quote: “The City Council caused the city to spend a great deal of money on lawsuits from its actions.”
John Mazza
Age: 58
Occupation: Head of local brokerage firm
Bio: John Mazza did not enter the race until mid-March after Bill Winokur dropped out. His name will not appear on the ballot, so voters must write his name in. Mazza is a regular at City Council and Planning Commission meetings, and calls the current council “pro-growth,” while he said he supports “planned growth.” Mazza campaigned with Malibu CAN to defeat Measure M. Mazza moved to Malibu in 1972.
Major endorsements: Emily Harlow, former planning commissioners Robert Adler and Richard Carrigan, Malibu CAN, Angeles Chapter of the Sierra Club, Johnny Fain.
Quote: “I think I’m a long shot, but there are enough people in Malibu who remember Measure M.”