Laguna Beach council fills advisory seats, reappoints incumbents and names new members

Laguna Beach City Council members filled openings on multiple advisory committees Tuesday, reappointing incumbents and approving new members after brief presentations by applicants.

The council appointed Edwin Kissell to the View Restoration Committee after Kissell described his background in public service and adjudicatory roles. "My experience as an arbitrator for FINRA and a hearing officer for Air Force personnel matters provides me with the tools to listen to and understand both sides of a matter, analyze the requirements of the municipal code, and make fair and impartial decisions," Kissell said when introduced by the clerk.

On the Parking, Traffic and Circulation Committee, the council approved the applicants, including Brandon Ripian, who asked to be reappointed as PTC chair. Ripian said, "As current PTC chair, the committee has worked hard to deliver targeted and precise recommendations to the city council," and the council voted to reappoint the applicants.

The Heritage Committee had a replacement after an incumbent withdrew; the council appointed two candidates to fill the available seats. One candidate, identified in remarks as TJ, noted 17 years residence in Laguna and experience in real estate and property management.

For the Recreation Committee — which had three openings and five applicants — the council selected two incumbents and one new member. The candidates who spoke included Robert Klugman, who emphasized youth coaching and community recreation experience, Sam Lechway, who described regular use of city programs as a parent, Nooth Morris, who noted recent committee service, Lisa (last name not provided), and Kelly Zenser, an incumbent seeking another term. The clerk announced the poll results, naming Kelly, Nooth (listed in the poll as "Nuth"/"Nuth" in the transcript reading), and Robert Klugman as the three chosen members; the clerk also read how each council member voted.

The Environmental Sustainability Committee reappointed incumbents and added Bernice Alaniz, who said she spent 23 years as a director with a Silicon Valley transportation authority and led environmental work on a multi-billion-dollar Bay Area transit extension. Mary Clifford and a candidate introduced as Steve described recent committee priorities including short-term emissions-reduction opportunities and implementing the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan.

On the Design Review Board, the council heard from several candidates, including MJ, a multi‑term local volunteer who asked to continue serving; Christopher (Chris) Moore, who said he works in historic renovations; and Debbie Neave, who cited engineering and permitting experience. A public speaker also thanked outgoing or non-reapplying member Jessica Gannon for her service. The council selected Debbie and MJ for the two open seats.

Most votes were conducted by council poll and announced by the clerk; the results were read aloud for each appointment. Where the transcript records different spellings between a candidate’s self-introduction and how names were read in the vote tally (for example, the recreation poll lists "Nuth" while the candidate introduced themself as "Nooth Morris"), this report uses the name the candidate used when speaking. Several motions were moved and seconded from the dais and were approved without recorded opposition.

The appointments session concluded after the final poll and the clerk closed that portion of the meeting.

The council did not take up substantive new policy matters during the appointments portion of the session; the items were limited to advisory-board nominations and reappointments. The meeting moved on after the appointments segment toward remaining agenda items and adjournment.