Rookie, vet join city's Planning Commission
This story appeared in the Antelope Valley Press on Monday, June 11, 2007.
By BOB WILSON Valley Press Staff Writer

PALMDALE - After interviewing eight applicants, the City Council on Wednesday seated one newcomer and one veteran to the Planning Commission.

In separate unanimous votes, the council chose Kathryn MacLaren(D) to fill a seat representing District No. 3 and Dean Henderson(R) for the at-large post.

MacLaren, a homemaker, replaces Lori Ontiveros(D), and Henderson, a mortgage broker, replaces John Mayfield(R).

Ontiveros stepped aside after three years on the panel. Mayfield chose not to seek another term after working more than 20 years on the commission, primarily as chairman.

MacLaren said she applied for the post because, with her husband deceased and her children in college, "I want to give back to my community. … This city means a lot to me."

Where MacLaren comes to the job with no experience, Henderson had four years' service on the commission. Henderson was removed from the panel in June 2004, along with three other members, after the council approved an ordinance requiring four of the five commission members come from specific geographic districts of the city.

The change left only one person with any experience - Mayfield - on the panel. With Mayfield gone, Henderson - despite a three-year absence - will have the most experience.

Continuing commission member Spencer Berg(D), of District 1, and Fred Thompson(D), of District 2, each have served 28 months, while member Vincent Dino(D), District 4, has served 17 months.

Henderson said he would not have sought appointment if Mayfield had reapplied.

Mayfield has served "with great honor and dignity and calm, fair-minded leadership, and one can look around the city to see the legacy he has created," Henderson said.

His goal would be to press for "high standards, and lushly landscaped projects" from builders, Henderson said.

While MacLaren's selection brought no controversy, Henderson drew pointed questions from Mayor Jim Ledford, who has faced political opposition on the council from those Henderson has helped elect in the past. Henderson, chairman of the 36th Assembly District Republican Central Committee(Republican Party), is supporting the election of Shawny Barcelona(R), who is running against council incumbents Steve Hofbauer(R) and Mike Dispenza(R).

"You're highly engaged in partisan politics," Ledford said. "Tell me how you can bring unity to a council and a planning commission with this partisan bent. … Can you give me some comfort that this (commission post) is not a divisive interest?"

Henderson said the land-use decisions made by the commission were not politically partisan in nature.

"So tell me which one of these two (incumbents) you don't want on the City Council?" Ledford continued.

"I like them both," Henderson said. "When people come to me and ask me to help them, I pretty much say 'yes' to everybody."

Henderson acknowledged he used to be highly partisan in his support of conservative Republicans seeking nonpartisan local offices, "but I have a lot different perspective these days."

At one point during the exchange, Councilman Tom Lackey(R) jumped in to defend Henderson, saying there was no evidence Henderson incited divisiveness as a commission member. Lackey also opined that Ledford's questions were "unfair."

"When I am serving (in office), I make a much greater effort to be equal … so being in the position takes me out of the fight," Henderson said.

Despite Henderson's involvement in Barcelona's campaign, Hofbauer said he would vote in favor of Henderson's appointment because he proved to be a good planning commissioner.

"Whether I'm up here next December or not, I know you will do a good job," Hofbauer told Henderson.

Each commissioner serves a term of two years and is paid $100 per meeting, for a maximum of two meetings per month.

Property owners, typically builders, come to the commission seeking, among other things, conditional-use permits, subdivision maps, zone changes, zoning-ordinance interpretations, specific-plan approvals, variances and General Plan amendments.