Community Council Candidates Solicit Votes

Pacific Palisades Community Council members seeking to serve on the group's Board of Governors gave presentations last Thursday on why they are qualified to serve and their priorities if elected.

The field breaks down like this:

• Barbara Kohn and Haldis Toppel for chair
• Chris Spitz and Paul Glasgall for vice chair
• Jennifer Malaret and Joyce Wong Kup for secretary
• Ted Mackie for Treasurer

Toppel is the current PPCC vice chairwoman and also serves as vice president of the Marquez Knolls Property Owners Association. She has lived in the community for more than 40 years and said a continued effort to improve quality of life in the area would be her main focus if elected.

Kohn is a 35-year Palisades resident and, as a community council member, represents areas that include Pacific View Estates, Castellammare and Paseo Miramar. She is also the Pacific Palisades Residents Association president. Issues pertaining to zoning, the Los Angeles city budget, business improvement districts, cellphone tower aesthetics and the placement of a in the community command Kohn's attention.

Spitz is an attorney who, like Kohn, has been active on the issues of cellphone tower aesthetics and zoning codes. Spitz, who lives near Potero Canyon, is a member of the PPRA and has participated in the Westside Regional Alliance of Councils.

Paul Glasgall has served on the PPCC since 1994 and represents the Palisades Highlands. A former advance man for President Ronald Reagan and Vice President George H.W. Bush in the 1980s, Glasgall said he would seek to steer the Pali council in a more localized direction, rather than getting too deeply involved in broader L.A. city issues.

Malaret is the current PPCC secretary and has lived in the community for 21 years. Issues pertaining to area parks and recreation as well as a citywide effort to more stringently regulate group homes that treat drug and alcohol abuse in residential areas top Malaret's list of priorities.

Wong Kup is a newcomer to the community council. The land-use and environmental attorney said her main concern was a DWP power station possibly landing adjacent to . Wong Kup additionally said she hopes to increase the level of PPCC representation for young families who have recently moved into the community.

Voting takes place June 14. The council's organization representatives, area reps., at-large representative, chair emeritus and four incumbent officers totaling 24 members are eligible to cast ballots, according to PPCC bylaws.