Candidate for
Member, City Council; City of Rancho Palos Verdes

An elected Council member should never forget that it is the residents who elected them into that position. The Council member should bring their leadership skills to the table but it is ultimately the residents who have the right to be informed of what issues are being brought forth for Council decision (transparency), have the right to have their views listen to and have the right to know the reason for a Council member's decision.

As a Planning Commissioner I have always followed this guideline and at one particular meeting I had a developer come forth giving reasons why we should approve his project. I listened, carefully read the staff report and reviewed the project then, taking what the developer had said, explained I could not make the necessary findings and voted to deny the project. In the hallway afterwards, the developer came up to me and said "Thank you." I was surprise "Thank you? I just denied your project." He said "Thank you for listening and thank you for explaining your decision."

Not all residents, or fellow Council members for that matter, will agree with the majority Council decisions but if the community feels they have been heard and their opinions have been addressed in deliberations and decision, then our democracy has succeeded.