Politics & Government

Council to Appoint Replacement for Member Wolfson

The council will select an appointee from a pool of applicants at a Jan. 18 meeting.

The Calabasas City Council decided Wednesday to use an application process instead of holding a special election to find an appointee to replace outgoing Councilman Jonathan Wolfson.

Wolfson is expected to resign Thursday because he is moving to Bell Canyon -- making him ineligble to continue holding office -- and his term expires in March 2013.

His replacement would have the option of running for re-election at the end of the term.

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City Clerk Gwen Peirce said an application to be selected to the council would be available by the end of the week and must be filled and submitted to her office by no later than 5 p.m. on Jan. 9, 2012.

The council will select a replacement during a Jan. 18 public meeting, when they are scheduled to interview candidates.

Find out what's happening in Calabasaswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Applicants must be registered voters and residing within the city of Calabasas by that meeting, said City Attorney Michael Colantuono.

The application will include room for a 400-word personal statement, Peirce said. Applicants can also attach a resume.

The application would also ask candidates to list four projects or volunteer efforts they were involved with in the past five years.

"I want to see if they've been active in benefiting the community," said Councilwoman Mary Sue Maurer.

Some residents said during Wednesday's council meeting that they would like to see former councilman Bob Sibilia be appointed as Wolfson's replacement.

Resident Jody Thomas said Sibilia deserves the appointment since he earned the third most amount of votes, behind Council Members Lucy Martin and Fred Gaines, in the March general election.

"If you believe in the democratic process, then Bob Sibilia is the only fair choice to fill the vacant council seat," she said.

Mayor James Bozajian said he felt otherwise.

"Installing someone -- anyone -- to the vacant seat without opening up the process to the public would be undemocratic," he wrote in an email.


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