Council Race Attracts Newcomers

Name: Jennifer deNicolaMalibu Resident for: 6-7 years, La Costa neighborhoodRegistration for this year’s election was on Monday and deNicola announced she has already secured the endorsement  of Congressman Ted Lieu. The endorsement was confirmed by his office.DeNicola has made headlines in years past for her fight against PCBs in Malibu schools with her organization America Unites for Kids, but she said she is certain her dedication to one issue in the past will not define her candidacy.“What I’m known for is standing up against all odds — I’m a fighter,” deNicola said.DeNicola said she has a “laundry list” of issues she wants to work on if elected to council, including environmental issues and improving safety on PCH, but it all goes back to community engagement.“I want to increase engagement of our community in government. I want to work on decreasing the animosity of feeling unheard,” deNicola said.She suggested multiple ways of making the council more approachable outside of council meetings where “you can’t have a conversation,” including open office hours and newsletters so citizens are more informed on local issues.DeNicola said she hopes her own activism will inspire others to get involved.“I affect policy. I affect people. I bring them out to inspire them. That’s what I hope to do this election, to get out the people,” deNicola said.  

Name: Rick MullenMalibu Resident for: 25 years, Ramirez Canyon neighorhoodMullen explained he was first asked to run for council by former Council Member Pamela Conley Ulich in 2007. Ulich and Mullen worked together during the Corral Canyon Fire when Ulich was Mayor and Mullen was working as a firefighter.“I thought she did a really great job under pressure and she encouraged me back then to run for council,” Mullen said. “My plate was a little too full at the time. She appointed me as public safety commissioner to put my baby toe in the water.”As a father, veteran and firefighter, Mullen decided at the time that his commitment to other engagements made running for council back then “inappropriate,” but said he now believes he’s ready to take on the responsibility.“My kids are bigger; my life is simpler. I’m in a better position to dedicate my time to Malibu,” Mullen said.On city matters, Mullen shared he believes issues change all the time, but he is committed to sticking to Malibu’s founding principles.“I always keep in mind the original mission statement of Malibu and its founders,” Mullen said. “When it comes down to decisions I will keep in mind: does this enhance or does this degrade the mission and vision of Malibu?”

Name: Carl RandallMalibu Resident for: Life, Las Flores Beach neighborhoodRandall calls his candidacy a “natural progression” of his life.When Randall was a political science major at UC San Diego, a professor told him he’d find a moment to enter public service and “do his time.”“For me, it’s the City of Malibu. I’ve lived here almost my entire life,” Randall said. Lately, Randall has gotten more involved in service. He has served on the Parks and Rec Commission for six years; three of those past years he’s served as chair. He also acted as the Advocates for Malibu Schools liaison for Webster School for four years and is currently on the school district’s Facility District Advisory Committee. Most of Randall’s career has been as an entertainment marketing consultant, which he said prepared him for the challenges of governing a city council.“You need to be able to manage a budget. You need to negotiate. You need to find common ground,” Randall said. “With film productions and corporate entities. They speak two different languages and you have to find common ground.”Randall’s shortlist of issues includes focusing on Malibu Bluffs Park (he even specified a potential skatepark), improving the safety of PCH and finding legislative or administrative solutions for short-term rentals.“The idea that our community is being hijacked by commercial interests is appalling,” Randall said.Finally, Randall said he believes finding a way to manage high density development in Malibu is important. He cited Legacy Park and retiring land plots as a way to manage the issue. 

Name: Laureen SillsMalibu resident for: 30 Years, Point Dume neighborhoodSills is the only candidate to have a website and Facebook page up and running for her election bid. Originally from the Long Island Sound in Connecticut, Sills said she learned firsthand growing up in a beach town how big hotels can ruin a coastal community. Since moving to Malibu, Sills has been active in the community, particularly Malibu schools. Sills was involved with the fight for cityhood, co-founded People Achieving Recreation and Community Services, co-founded Advocates for Malibu Public Schools, served for five years as the governor appointee on California’s Advisory Commission for Special Education and co-founded The Malibu Special Education Foundation where she currently serves as president and has held that title since 2002.In the past, Sills said she has been directly involved with problem-solving issues in Malibu.“When the camera crews were outside of Malibu High, on day one of the PCB issue, I called all the groups to meet in my kitchen and we all worked on the very first letter to the superintendent to immediately move students into the safety of portables,” Sills wrote in an email to The Malibu Times.Sills lists all of her community involvement on her website (laureensills4malibu.com). “I am a seasoned community servant of 30 years who knows how to create bridges and not build walls, to all the different, often fighting tribes and actually get things done in Malibu,” Sills wrote.

Name: Jefferson “Zuma Jay” WagnerMalibu Resident for: Life, “one zipcode away.”“I love this community because I’ve been here so long I know where all the skeletons are,” former council member and current candidate Jefferson “Zuma Jay” Wagner said about why he decided to run again.Wagner previously served on the council from 2008-2012, including as mayor from 2010-2011, but took a break from public service for personal reasons. Outside of his position on council, he has also been involved with the Civic Center Task Force, the Malibu Pier State Park Concession and is currently on the Board of Directors of the Adamson House.Most Malibu residents will know Wagner through his surf shop “Zuma Jay’s,” which Wagner founded in 1975. Wagner has previously received praise for his environmental efforts, including being named as environmentalist of the year by the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association. Wagner said the person to receive the award before him was Robert F. Kennedy Jr. If elected to council, Wagner said he believes following up on Measure R, an ordinance that, among other things, limits the number of chain stores permitted operate in Malibu, would be one of his main priorities.Wagner also said there are a few properties around town that could be retired by the city and turned into community use. He specifically pointed to a property on Point Dume and another in the Civic Center.Wagner mentioned he hoped he would gain support from those who remember his last term.“[Voters who] saw my prior work as a council member, they’ll look at it somewhat favorably,” Wagner said about who he thought would vote for him.

Name: Skylar PeakMalibu Resident for: Life, Point Dume neighborhoodPeak, who served as Malibu’s youngest mayor during his first term as council member, confirmed to The Malibu Times that he would be running for re-election. A Pepperdine graduate who was first elected to office in 2012, Peak had yet to officially pull papers as of Tuesday evening.Peak was not available for further comment on what he intends to focus on for his campaign or potential second term.