Newhall Redevelopment Committee to Appoint New Members

May 21st, 2007 admin Posted in Uncategorized |

Time for an update as Newhall Redevelopment Committee applicants check in.

It’s time for some new blood in the Newhall Redevelopment Committee, with all current terms expired as of January 2007. Wonder if this new blood will bring with it some needed changes?

The City of Santa Clarita will present the applicants for the Newhall Redevelopment Committee at it’s regular meeting on May 22 at 6pm, with a scheduled follow-up to recommend the slate of candidates at the Economic Development / Redevelopment Subcommittee meeting on Thursday, May 24.

With a total of 13 seats available, 5 returning members and 10 new applicants, it’s safe to say that all but 2 of the new applicants have a good chance to be approved as new committee members. All new applicants were required to complete a standard committee application form and submit three letters of approval.

Those with expired terms include Amparo Cevallos, Duane Harte, Carol Rock, Robert Spierer, Randal Winter, and Leon Worden. All but Cevallos have requested to be reappointed to the Committee. Members who recently resigned from the Committee include Melissa Pillmear and John Ahrens.

New applicants include Christopher Aune, Victor Feany, Robert Gardner, Kevin Korenthal, Rogelio Martinez, Karen Sklar, Valerie Thomas, Christopher Townsley, Steve Vasquez and Dennis Verner.

A Google search of the new applicants reveals the following about them:

Christopher Aune has been an assistant planner with the City of Lancaster and Reyes Adobe (Conejo Valley).
Victor Feany is the owner of Newhall Hardware, so he certainly has a vested interest in the redevelopment process. He is also a member of the Old Town Newhall Association.
Robert Gardner is a web services provider who founded Santa Clarita Web Services (formerly eSCV) and MySantaClarita.com.
Kevin Korenthal is a conservative GOP activist in the Santa Clarita area and runs the SoCalPundit blog with "conservative news and views from Southern California".
Valerie Thomas has been active on the Citizens Committee regarding the Open Space Preservation District and has made presentations to the City Council in the past, including Youth in Government Students regarding the multi-cultural program Operation US and campaign contribution limitations.
Dennis Verner is the broker for SCV Commercial Real Estate Services. According to his online profile, he was the GM and VP of Santa Clarita Disposal Company for 10 years, joined Quality Paper Fibers in 1999, and then went into commercial real estate. He got his brokers license in 2006 and started SCV Commercial Real Estate Services at that time. He was also involved in getting City approvals for the Needham Ranch project. Another applicant with an apparent vested interest in the redevelopment project.

And here’s some info on the returning candidates:

Duane Harte has been involved in Santa Clarita politics for quite a while. He’s been involved with the Friends of Mentryville and as a Parks Commissioner. In a previous interview regarding the Newhall Redevelopment Project, he said "As far as the issue of taking people’s property away from them, that’s probably one of the things farthest from the city’s mind right now. Even with the Specific Plan right now, it’s still something the city is not looking forward to doing. That’s going to be way off in the future, if at all." Hmmmmph… tell that to the businesses who are getting their properties taken away as we speak (or write)! He was appointed to the Newhall Redevelopment Committee in 1998.
Carol Rock is a staff writer at the Daily News. She received the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society’s Founder’s Award in 1995 and played the Ghost of Christmas Yet-to-Come (as well as the Stage Manager) at the Canyon Theatre Guild’s 2005 presentation of “A Christmas Carol”. She was appointed to the Newhall Redevelopment Committee in 1999.
Robert Spierer is a retired Sheriff’s commander and was recently awarded a contract to review Los Angeles Probation Department reports. He attempted to gain a seat on the Santa Clarita City Council last year, and will apparently run again in 2008. He was appointed to the Newhall Redevelopment Committee in 2002.
Randal Winter is a member of the West Ranch Town Council and owner of Randal G Winter Construction. He was appointed to the Newhall Redevelopment Committee in 2001.
Leon Worden runs the (hokey) website Leon Worden’s Universe and manages websites for The Signal, SCVTV, Old Town Newhall and more. He’s been very active in recording SCV history online as well. He was appointed to the Newhall Redevelopment Committee in 1996.