The Pacific Palisades Community Council met last Thursday evening to discuss year-end issues, award community members and eat generous helpings of other people’s food. The annual holiday potluck dinner, which doubles as a council meeting, was held in the historic dining room in Temescal Gateway Park. David Williams received the council’s annual Community Service Award for his contributions to nearly every facet of Palisades civic life. The longtime coach of the Palisades High boys’ soccer team is also the owner of Mogan’s Caf’ in the Highlands. Twice president of the Chamber of Commerce, Williams came up with the idea for Movies in the Park in 2004, and he sponsored the town’s ‘free parking day’ for five years, while also co-chairing several Chamber events, including Holiday Ho!Ho!Ho!. ‘My good friend Mort Farberow always told me that it’s about giving back to your community, not taking,’ said Williams. ‘And that is what I have tried to make my motto.’ He grew up in the Palisades and graduated from PaliHi in 1983. The Council also awarded a plaque to Kurt Toppel, chair emeritus, for his work as the former chair. ‘He did an outstanding job of attempting to achieve community consensus on a lot of contentious issues,’ said current chair Steve Boyers. ‘I count him as mentor. He is an outstanding gentleman and a real asset to the community.’ In addition, the Council unanimously approved a motion to support a PRIDE beautification plan. PRIDE (Protect and Renew our Identity and Environment) is seeking a permit from the city’s Bureau of Engineering to install dark brown wrought-iron benches in commercial areas of the Palisades. It also requests city permission to install wrought-iron trash receptacles near those benches. PRIDE pledges to pay for the benches and their maintenance through donations from community residents, organizations and business owners. Councilmember Jack Allen announced that a liquor license is expected to be granted to Picnic, a gourmet take-out store planning to open at 1017 Swarthmore Ave. (in the former Fernworks space), after its owner agreed to modify her initial request. The conditional-use permit will allow the store to sell wine and beer for off-site consumption until 8 p.m. Picnic originally requested a permit to sell alcohol until 2 a.m. Owners of liquor licenses can re-sell the licenses for large sums within Los Angeles. Some community members feared that without a more stringent permit, the owner could sell the permit to a new owner whose store might have little resemblance to that of the original permit-holder. The council will meet again on Thursday, January 11, at 7 p.m. in its regular location at the Palisades Branch Library. For more information about the organization, visit www.pp90272.org or e-mail PacPaliCC@aol.com. ——- Reporting by Max Taves, Staff Writer. To contact, send e-mail to reporter@palipost.com.
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