Santa Monica’s Planning Commission will have a new member after longtime Commissioner Richard McKinnon failed to receive an appointment from local City Councilmembers Tuesday.
Established in 1946, the Planning Commission is responsible for a number of duties that usually pertain to proposed public works projects throughout the city. The seven-member commission had two vacant seats to be had this year and eight total applicants vying for the positions.
The Planning Commission was one of the many entities to receive a new member during the council’s appointment session last week but it was the only one to feature an incumbent who did not receive enough votes from City Council.
It takes four votes to reappoint somebody to a City Commission or Board, “but McKinnon is on his third term so he needs five votes,” Councilmember Sue Himmelrich said Tuesday before fellow councilmembers nominated Leslie Lambert, Richard McKinnon and Ellis Raskin as potential appointees to the vital commission.
Lambert would easily win the first round of voting that occurred Tuesday night so she will retain her seat and serve another 4-year term on Santa Monica’s Planning Commission.
In the second round of voting, McKinnon came close to achieving the super-majority he needed to secure his fourth term. With four votes in his favor, the Commissioner needed only one more vote but Mayor Kevin McKeown decided to cast his support for Ellis Raskin, who was nominated earlier in the process by Himmelrich.
“So, neither candidate receives the number of votes needed,” McKeown said, which prompted a third round of voting for the commission’s final seat. Only Raskin and Carl Hansen were nominated during the third go-round of voting, which Raskin would eventually win when after receiving unanimous support.
“Congratulations Ellis Raskin,” McKeown added before Council moved to complete the remainder of the night’s appointments.
