TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Talyn Mirzakhanian, City Manager
FROM:
Liza Tamura, City Clerk
Patricia Matson, Assistant City Clerk
Breana Contreras, Deputy City Clerk
SUBJECT:Title
2026 Annual Appointments to Boards and Commissions (No Budget Impact) (City Clerk Tamura).
(Estimated Time: 45 Mins.)
APPOINT
Body
_________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council appoint or reappoint to the following Boards and Commissions vacancies:
Planning Commission
• Four Members-At-Large
Parking and Public Improvements Commission
• Two Members-At-Large
Board of Building Appeals
• Five Members-At-Large
Los Angeles County West Vector Control Board
• One Member-At-Large
Parks and Recreation Commission
• One MBUSD Nominee, one Member-At-Large and one Student Representative
Cultural Arts Commission
• One Art Experience and one Student Representative
Library Commission
• One Member-At-Large and one Student Representative
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no fiscal implications associated with the recommended action. Sufficient funding for advertisements related to the Boards and Commissions interview and appointment process were budgeted for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 to support outreach efforts.
BACKGROUND:
In preparation for the 2026 Annual Boards and Commissions Interview and Appointment Process, the City Clerk’s Office and staff liaisons have been in contact with current commissioners and applicants regarding upcoming vacancies.
To generate interest in serving on the City’s Boards and Commissions, the City Clerk’s Office has placed advertisements in The Beach Reporter every month since January 2026, with the final advertisement published on April 2, 2026. Additional outreach has included postings on the City website and bulletin boards, GovDelivery notifications, social media channels, and direct engagement with the Manhattan Beach Unified School District, Manhattan Beach Downtown Business and Professional Association, the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce and the Manhattan Beach Library.
The application deadline was Thursday, April 16, 2026, at 5:00 PM. The City Council conducted interviews with interested applicants on April 28, 2026.
For the 2026 Annual Boards and Commissions Interview and Appointment Process, the City received 57 applications (20 adults and 37 students). Prior to the interview process, nine applicants withdrew their application.
The following 43 applicants participated in the interview process on April 28, 2026.
Stefan Beeli
Emilie Beaupain
Ryan Beaupain
Steven Berardino
Stefanie Bond
Resse Bronson
Jacki Chou
Calista Chun
Daniel Chun
Andrew Decko
Riya Dhillon
Samantha Doran
Robert Duncan
Landon Farrace
Rachel Hackett
Kadin Heise
Mila Hennon
Geneva Huang
Emma Hurlburt
Emily Keane
Michael Kling
Teo Lambert
Angelina Lee
Caroline Lerner
Annabel Lin
Alana Mahan
Jacquelyne May
Chrissy McCormack
Wyatt Newbill
Carol Patterson
Hilary Rosen
Jill Schecter
Jack Schenider
Chase Sheth
Everly Shore
Robert Siemak
Joel Sprague
Benjamin Stillman
Robert Tokashiki
Dina Treyger
David Unatin
Annika Waters
Larry Zimbalist
The following three applicants were unable to participate in the interviews but still requested to be considered by the City Council for a Commission appointment.
Isabella Jacobson
Samantha Magovern
John Meek
Two applicants withdrew their application the day of the interviews and no longer seek appointment by the City Council.
DISCUSSION:
Below is a breakdown of each commission vacancy and the applicants who have expressed interest.
Planning Commission
Pursuant to California Planning and Zoning Law and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Planning Commission is responsible for long-range planning activities, including major use permits, commercial planned development permits, zone changes, code amendments, and modifications to long-range planning documents, including the City’s General Plan and Local Coastal Plan. The Commission consists of five Member-At-Large seats.
Seat Nos. 2 through 5 - Members-At-Large
Seat No. 2 is a Member-At-Large seat that is currently vacant, with a term that ends on May 31, 2027. The commissioner appointed to this seat will have an appointment date of May 5, 2026, will fulfill the remainder of the original term, and will then be automatically reappointed to a three-year term without additional City Council action.
Seat No. 3 is a Member-At-Large seat currently occupied by Joseph Ungoco. Commissioner Ungoco’s term will expire on May 31, 2026. He is not eligible for reappointment due to term limitations.
Seat No. 4 is a Member-At-Large seat currently occupied by Robert Tokashiki. Commissioner Tokashiki’s term will expire on May 31, 2026. He is not eligible for reappointment due to term limitations.
Seat No. 5 is a Member-At-Large seat currently occupied by Rachel Hackett. Commissioner Hackett’s term will expire on May 31, 2026. She has reapplied and is eligible for reappointment.
Below are the applicants who have indicated an interest in these four seats.
Interested Applicants:
Rachel Hackett (Incumbent)
John Meek
Jill Schecter
Robert Siemak
Joel Sprague
Dina Treyger
Parking and Public Improvements Commission:
The Parking and Public Improvements Commission (PPIC) makes recommendations to the City Council on public parking issues, capital improvement projects, traffic management and activities within the public right-of-way, including encroachment permits. The Commission consists of five Member-At-Large seats.
Seat No. 1 and Seat No. 3 - Members-At-Large
Seat No. 1 is a Member-At-Large seat currently occupied by Allen Kirschenbaum. Commissioner Kirschenbaum’s term will expire on May 31, 2026. He is not eligible for reappointment due to term limitations.
Seat No. 3 is a Member-at-Large seat currently occupied by Joe Marcy. Commissioner Marcy’s term will expire on May 31, 2026, and he did not apply for reappointment.
Below are the applicants who have indicated an interest in these two seats.
Interested Applicants:
Stefan Beeli
Steven Berardino
Robert Siemak
Robert Tokashiki
Board of Building Appeals:
The Board of Building Appeals hears requests for interpretation of California Code provisions, alternative materials and methods of construction. The Board consists of five board members and meets on an as-needed basis. Board members are appointed to three-year terms but may serve indefinitely.
Resolution No. 5702 states, “Members shall be qualified by experience and training to review matters regarding Manhattan Beach construction codes, such as sub-standard buildings, housing conditions, dangerous structures, disabled access, and matters related there to.”
Seat Nos. 1 through 5 - Members-At-Large
Seat Nos. 1 through 5 are Member-at-Large seats with terms expiring on May 31, 2026. Staff has reached out to all incumbents and two have expressed interest in continuing to serve on the Board of Building Appeals. Below are the applicants who have indicated an interest in these seats.
Below are the applicants who have indicated an interest in these five seats.
Interested Applicants:
Michael Kling (Incumbent)
Jill Schecter
Robert Tokashiki (Incumbent)
There are currently 3 applicants for the 5 member Board of Building Appeals.
Historically, due to the fact that the Board of Building Appeals has not met on a consistent basis, and that the number of applicants for this Board are typically low, staff recommends that the City Council consider the three individuals who have applied to the Board of Building Appeals and leave the remaining two seats vacant until the next annual appointments.
If the need to meet arises prior to the 2027 Annual Boards & Commissions interview and appointment process, per Resolution No. 5702, the City Council may appoint members who are concurrently serving on another commission if they are qualified by experience and training. Furthermore, if there are no interested applicants from the public or our other Commissions who are qualified, the City Manager is authorized to select Building Officials or designee from other cities or jurisdictions to serve as members of the Board of Building Appeals.
Los Angeles County West Vector Control Board
The Los Angeles County West Vector Control District was formed in 1944 and covers approximately 680 square miles, contains 23 cities, including the City of Manhattan Beach, and unincorporated territory of Los Angeles County. The purpose of the control district is to educate the public about vector-transmitted diseases, vector related injuries and provide additional information on services offered by the control district. Each city and county within the boundaries of the district may appoint one (1) representative each to the Los Angeles County West Vector Control Board of Trustees.
Member-At-Large Seat
This Member-At-Large seat is currently held by Hilary Rosen. Board member Rosen’s term will expire on December 31, 2026. She has reapplied and is eligible for reappointment to a two or four-year term at the discretion of the City Council.
First time appointees are appointed for a two-year term.
Below are the applicants that have indicated an interest in the seat.
Interested Applicants:
Jacki Chou
Hilary Rosen (Incumbent)
Parks and Recreation Commission
The Parks and Recreation Commission serves as an advisory body to the City Council regarding the recreational needs of all citizens and promotes supervised public recreation within the City.
The Commission consists of seven members: four at-large, one representative from the older adult community (ages 55 and older), one representative appointed by the Manhattan Beach Unified School District Board of Trustees, and one student representative.
Seat No. 2 - Manhattan Beach Unified School District Nominee
Seat No. 2 is a seat nominated by the Manhattan Beach Unified School District (MBUSD) and is currently held by Karen Komatinsky. Commissioner Komatinsky’s term will expire on May 31, 2026. At the March 25, 2026, Board Meeting, the MBUSD Board of Trustees unanimously voted to reappoint Karen Komatinsky to serve on the Parks and Recreation Commission. Staff recommends that the City Council ratify the appointment made by the MBUSD Board of Trustees.
Seat No. 3 - Member-At-Large
Seat No. 3 is a Member-at-Large seat currently occupied by Larry Zimbalist. Commissioner Zimbalist’s term will expire on May 31, 2026. He has reapplied and is eligible for reappointment.
Below are the applicants who have indicated an interest in this seat.
Interested Applicants:
Stefan Beeli
Stefanie Bond
Robert Duncan
Jacquelyne May
Robert Siemak
Larry Zimbalist (Incumbent)
Seat No. 7 - Student Representative
Seat No. 7 is a Student Representative seat that is currently occupied by Ishaan Aggarwal. Commissioner Aggarwal’s term will expire on May 31, 2026. The student representative has a one-year term.
Below are the applicants who have indicated an interest in this seat.
Interested Applicants:
Ryan Beaupain
Reese Bronson
Calista Chun
Daniel Chun
Andrew Decko
Samantha Doran
Landon Farrace
Emma Hurlburt
Angelina Lee
Annabel Lin
Samantha Magovern
Alana Mahan
Chrissy McCormack
Jack Schneider
Chase Sheth
Everly Shore
Benjamin Stillman
David Unatin
Cultural Arts Commission
The Cultural Arts Commission is responsible for the ongoing development and implementation of the City's master plan for cultural arts, as well as encouraging and supporting art education programs in the community and schools. Additionally, the Commission participates in the Art in Public Places selection process.
The Cultural Arts Commission consists of seven members: five selected at-large, one representative with art experience, and one student representative.
Seat No. 1 - Art Experience
Seat No. 1 is the Art Experience seat that is currently occupied by Carol Patterson. Commissioner Patterson’s term will expire May 31, 2026. She has reapplied for this seat and is eligible for reappointment.
Below are the applicants who have indicated an interest in this seat.
Interested Applicants:
Stefanie Bond
Jacquelyne May
Carol Patterson (Incumbent)
Seat No. 7 - Student Representative
Seat No. 7 is a Student Representative seat that is currently occupied by Alex Dickey. Commissioner Dickey’s term will expire on May 31, 2026. The student representative has a one-year term.
Below are the applicants who have indicated an interest in this seat.
Interested Applicants:
Emily Beaupain
Ryan Beaupain
Reese Bronson
Samantha Doran
Landon Farrace
Geneva Huang
Isabella Jacobson
Angelina Lee
Samantha Magovern
Chrissy McCormack
Jack Schneider
Everly Shore
Benjamin Stillman
Annika Waters
Library Commission
The Library Commission serves in an advisory capacity to the City Council regarding library services provided by the Los Angeles County Library System to the citizens of Manhattan Beach. This Commission also serves as a liaison between the County, City, and public and private community groups supportive of library services. The Commission consists of seven members: six members selected at-large and one student representative.
Seat No. 4 - Member-At-Large
Seat No. 4 is a Member-At-Large seat that is currently occupied by Dina Doll. Commissioner Doll’s term will expire May 31, 2026, and she did not apply for reappointment.
Below are the applicants who have indicated an interest in the seat.
Interested Applicants:
Robert Duncan
Jill Schecter
Seat No. 7 - Student Representative
Seat No. 7 is a Student Representative seat that is currently occupied by Kylie Cullen. Commissioner Cullen’s term will expire on May 31, 2026. The student representative has a one-year term.
Below are the applicants who have indicated an interest in the seat.
Interested Applicants:
Ryan Beaupain
Reese Bronson
Riya Dhillon
Samantha Doran
Landon Farrace
Kadin Heise
Mila Hennon
Isabella Jacobson
Emily Keane
Teo Lambert
Angelina Lee
Carolina Lerner
Annabel Lin
Chrissy McCormack
Wyatt Newbill
Jack Schneider
Everly Shore
Benjamin Stillman
Annika Waters
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends that the City Council appoint or reappoint from the interested applicants described within the report.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
The City Clerk’s Office conducted extensive outreach regarding the Boards and Commissions vacancies. Advertisements were placed in The Beach Reporter each month beginning in January 2026, with the final advertisement published on April 2, 2026.
Additional outreach included postings on the City website and bulletin boards, GovDelivery notifications, social media channels, and direct engagement with the Manhattan Beach Unified School District, Manhattan Beach Downtown Business and Professional Association, the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce and the Manhattan Beach Library.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City has reviewed the proposed activity for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to Section 15060(c)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines the activity is not subject to CEQA. Thus, no environmental review is necessary.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENT:
1. Boards and Commissions Advertisement