PPCC Bids Farewell to Kulla; Greets New Board

By DEBORAH STAMBLER | Special to the Palisadian-Post

Officer elections, a farewell presentation and a spotlight on community organizations were among the items brought to the floor at the Pacific Palisades Community Council (PPCC)meeting on June 11.

One of the first orders of business was a presentation by PPCC President Chris Spitz honoring the ongoing contributions of Norman Kulla to the community.

Kulla will retire from his position as Senior Counsel for Councilmember Mike Bonin, effective July 1.

He has been a long-standing liaison between the Councilmember’s office and the Palisades. Kulla also served as President on the PPCC. Palisades Beautiful and Temescal Canyon Association also recognized Kulla for his work with their organizations.

PPCC officer elections were held in an uncontested race. Spitz was re-elected to another term as President. Secretary Jennifer Malaret and Treasurer Richard G. Cohen were also re-elected. Maryam Zar was elected to Vice President, replacing Andrew Wolfberg in the position.

Spitz thanked the council for their support and said, “We’re going to try to inspire confidence and do our best job for the community and the PPCC in the coming term.”

The PPCC voted to support a Westside Regional Alliance Council motion with some modification. The motion calls for City Staff Reports and City Determinations in land use and planning recommendations to include the recommendations of Neighborhood and Community Councils or provide an explanation of why these recommendations were not followed.

If the motion passes at the city level, it could increase communication between local councils and the city.

In a spotlight on local organizations, Janet Anderson from AYSO and Eric Dugdale from the Pacific Palisades Historical Society both presented information on their respective groups.

AYSO Region 69 continues as a strong organization in the Palisades, celebrating their 40th anniversary and as home to over 200 teams in the region.

The Historical Society is busy at work archiving and organizing photos from the area, conducting programs for the public and in schools, as well as providing a student scholarship.

Photos of the Palisades dating back to the 1920s can be viewed on their website at www.pacificpalisadeshistory.org.

The PPCC will meet again on Thursday, June 25. Upcoming agenda items include a presentation from CA Walks: Pedestrian Safety and Walkability on PCH and a report from LA County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl’s office.