Commissioner Henman elected chair, Whitney Fernandez chosen as vice chair; park assignments held pending alternate

The Murrieta Parks and Recreation Commission on March 5 unanimously elected Commissioner Henman as chair and Commissioner Whitney Fernandez as vice chair and voted to keep existing park assignments unchanged until an alternate commissioner can fill a vacant seat.

The commission conducted its annual reorganization under the Murrieta Municipal Code. Nominations were opened during the March 5 meeting; after a motion to close nominations, Commissioners voted 4–0 to appoint Henman as chair and Fernandez as vice chair. The officers will serve until the commission’s first regular meeting in or after February 2027.

“It's not my first time in this chair, but it will be my last because this is my last year on the commission,” Commissioner Henman said after being elected.

Commissioners also addressed a vacancy created when Vice Chair Gilland moved outside city limits. Staff outlined options for covering the former vice chair’s park assignments, including redistributing them among seated commissioners, temporarily assigning an alternate, or leaving them unassigned. The commission voted unanimously, 4–0, to keep current assignments as-is and leave Robins’ parks uncovered until the city clerk’s office confirms the availability of the alternate, Brian Glassman, expected to be contacted in coming weeks.

The consent calendar — including the minutes of the Jan. 15 meeting and the recreation activities and parks maintenance reports — was approved by a single unanimous motion earlier in the meeting.

The meeting adjourned after commissioners agreed to close in memory of Michael Mo, the father of Commissioner Fernandez. The commission’s next steps include confirmation of the alternate’s availability and follow-up on assignment coverage if needed.