PACIFIC PALISADES—During a meeting on Thursday, August 27, candidates for the Pacific Palisades Community Council (PPCC) were introduced to the public. 

Voting will begin on Friday, September 4 via the PPCC website, and end on September 18 at 5 p.m., the PPCC announced. Palisidians can run as Area Representatives or for the one position of At-large Representative. 

The Candidate Forum assembled all candidates running for Area Representative positions, who began giving opening statements. Areas 4, 6, and 7 are the three contested positions among the eight Area Representative seats.

All candidates took part in addressing issues of concern to the Palisades community. 

According to the PPCC, “Crime, security, homelessness, wildfire prevention, overdevelopment, protection of the environment, preservation of open spaces and the natural beauty of the Palisades, and of course, the response to COVID-19 and its effect on the community” were among the issues discussed during the meeting.

Michael Minky and Karen Ridgley are running for the Area 4 seat, while Jennifer Li and Rick McGeagh contest the Area 7 seat. At the start of the meeting, it was announced that Area 6 Candidate Jason Sklar withdrew from the race, leaving the seat to be contested by Matthew Quiat and Karyn Weber.

Candidate statements, which were required on their applications, were made available for the public.

“I believe that it is important to have an Area Representative of the PPCC from the mobile home parks to provide a voice for the lower income community,” Minky said in his statement, while Ridgley highlighted her support for organizations like “Palisades Beautiful, PPFTH and support preserving and enhancing our parks and common areas.”

Quait said his focus will be on “quality of life” and “improving public safety,” while Weber said she strives “to keep the small town feel of the neighborhood our children have grown up in while improving certain aspects of it.”

Li pointed out for the need for infrastructure improvements and the effort to “end homelessness in our community and our city.” McGeagh expressed concern over the risks of wild fires and his plans to help prevent them. 

The PPCC will hold a meeting on September 24 to announce the election results and bid farewell to outgoing members of the Council. Elected officials will hold their first meeting on October 8.