Lou La Monte receives unanimous mayoral vote, but councilmembers disagree over Skylar Peak’s ability to serve as mayor pro tem amid an ongoing police investigation.
By Melissa Caskey / The Malibu Times
On a night when many in a packed council chamber hoped to celebrate a new mayor rather than face the uncertainty of who could take on the job as the mayor’s second-in-command, Councilwoman Joan House was unexpectedly appointed Malibu’s mayor pro tem in a 3-2 vote over Councilman Skylar Peak at Monday’s City Council meeting.
House was nominated for mayor pro tem after Councilwoman Laura Rosenthal and newly appointed Mayor Lou La Monte expressed concerns over Peak’s ability to serve as mayor pro tem. Rosenthal and La Monte argued Peak needed more time to learn about serving on the City Council and also to deal with personal matters.
Peak is the subject of an open police investigation. He allegedly threatened a security guard at Point Dume Plaza in July. Peak has also been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
“I think you [Councilman Peak] and this city need some time to put this stuff behind us,” La Monte said.
Traditionally, the council member who receives the most votes in the City Council race is next in line to serve as mayor pro tem. Peak received more than 1,400 votes in April, well ahead of the second-place finisher, Councilman John Sibert. At age 28, Peak became the youngest person to ever serve on Malibu City Council.
Peak and Sibert voted against Rosenthal and La Monte’s nomination of House, which passed 3-2 when House voted in favor.
But before House was nominated, Rosenthal originally tried to nominate Sibert as mayor pro tem for “a five month interim time,” and suggested the City Council return in five months and have another mayor pro tem election. The mayor and mayor pro tem normally serve a nine-and-a-half month term.
“I believe it’s utterly ridiculous you would reorganize the City Council in a different manner than it’s been done before,” Peak said.
Sibert turned down the nomination, agreeing that restructuring the city’s mayoral format was not the right choice.
“The rules we put in place were that the largest vote-getter was next in line, and it’s based on the number of votes and I see no reason to change that at this point,” Sibert said.
Upon hearing of her default nomination, House seemed taken aback.
“This is the most interesting meeting I’ve ever been to,” she said. “The bottom line for me is what’s best for the city.”
House’s victory came much to the chagrin of community members who expressed solidarity with Peak.
After the vote, several of Peak’s supporters, including former City Council candidates Hamish Patterson and Andy Lyon, loudly expressed their disapproval and accused Rosenthal, La Monte and House of usurping the will of the voters.
“Not stoked at all in this little move publicly disgracing Skylar Peak,” Patterson said during the public comments portion of the meeting.
Former City Councilman Ken Kearsley, who had spoken before the vote and warned Peak he should voluntarily delay assuming the traditional role as mayor pro tem out of “respect for the city,” swore House in. Peak left the council chambers while La Monte and House were sworn in as mayor and mayor pro tem and did not return for approximately 30 minutes. La Monte received a standing ovation after being sworn in.
After the meeting, Peak said he had left the room because of a bad cold.
He took the loss in stride, saying it would not affect his relationship with other council members or his ability to do what is best for the City of Malibu.
“It is what it is,” Peak said after the meeting. “We’ll see how it goes.”
Above all, each council member said they want what they see best for the City of Malibu, though each of their definitions may vary.
La Monte said he was worried about having the right person represent Malibu and not letting an elected city official be “what some late-night comedian thinks is a punchline.” Rosenthal stressed the importance of Peak’s mental health if he wants to serve in the high-profile job. House urged the need for “steadiness we can rely on,” while Sibert insisted on allowing the highest vote-getter to take on the job, despite whatever controversy may be surrounding Peak.
“I think my leadership skills are more than proven,” Peak said.
Peak said he does not plan on challenging the decision. As for the police investigation going on, Peak does not foresee charges being pressed against him.
“I think it’ll just stay as an active investigation,” Peak said.
Rosenthal bids farewell to mayorship
Laura Rosenthal handed over the mayor’s gavel to Lou La Monte, ending a nine-and-a-half month run as mayor. She compared her time as mayor to pregnancy.
“I get to give birth to a fully formed person, as in the next mayor,” Rosenthal said.
Among her accomplishments, Rosenthal listed her work on transportation improvements along Pacific Coast Highway and her leadership in moving Malibu toward forming an independent school district.
“Being mayor reinforced my love for this city,” she said.
A majority of public speakers complimented Rosenthal on her work as mayor, but local activists and former City Council candidates Andy Lyon and Hamish Patterson criticized her for her involvement in the field lights project at Malibu High School and for not doing enough to stop the Malibu Lagoon Restoration Project, a state project that is re-shaping the lagoon.
Paradise Cove Update
City Manager Jim Thorsen said he met with the landowner and the restaurant operator of Paradise Cove to discuss traffic congestion concerns in the area.
The City issued the owners a letter outlining several violations of the permit under which they operate, and both sides are working to resolve the issues, Thorsen said.
The City also reached out to the California Coastal Commission in the hopes of getting to work on parking improvements at Paradise Cove.
“Hopefully we can come together and resolve that,” Thorsen said
Malibu Lagoon Project Update
Craig Sap, the Angeles District Superintendent for State Parks, offered the City Council an update on the Malibu Lagoon Restoration Project, saying work in the first half of the main channel is now complete and the contractor has begun work in the eastern tributary of the lagoon.
Dewatering test results at the lagoon are falling well within the limits specified by a state permit, according to Sap.
The state project is designed to redirect water flow at the lagoon and improve the lagoon’s ecosystem.
Opponents of the project believe the dredging will pollute local ocean waters and kill off much of the lagoon’s wildlife.
City Council actions
– Appointed Lou La Monte as the Mayor of Malibu (5-0 vote)
– Appointed Joan House as the Mayor Pro Tem of Malibu (3-2 vote)
– Commended members of the Malibu girls American Youth Soccer Org. team for competing in the state championship
– Authorized a beach ecology workshop and screening of the water documentary Last Call at the Oasis on Sept. 19. at City Hall (5-0 vote)