The Torrance City Council will consider 17 candidates at its Tuesday, July 13, meeting to fill the vacant position left by former Councilman Tim Goodrich.
The council decided to appoint someone to fill the remainder of Goodrich’s term — a little more than a year — rather than hold a special election. If the council does not reach a consensus on an appointment by July 30, the city will take steps to hold a special election anyway.
Mayor Pat Furey said he was hopeful the council could reach a decision at its next meeting and if not, then at the following council meeting on July 27.
“If we can’t come to a decision on Tuesday, then it goes to the following meeting,” Furey said. “But I think we’ll come to a conclusion.”
Furey and other council members interviewed the various candidates separately in recent weeks after calling for nominations in June. Goodrich announced his resignation May 18, citing a job promotion at work as his reason for stepping down.
Potential successors include Jeffery Gibson, the former Community Development director for 38 years until 2019; G. Rick Marshall, Planning Commission chairman until earlier this year; Mike Mauno, former Torrance City Council member; and David Zygielbaum, deputy district attorney for the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office.
The other candidates are:
- Charles Deemer, a 54-year resident;
- Jimmy Gow, who served on the ExxonMobil advisory panel;
- Ben Gunter, a two-year resident of the city;
- Larry Halvorsen, U.S. Naval Academy graduate;
- Real estate agent Jonathan Kaji;
- Aaron Karsh, a 30-year Torrance resident;
- David Kartsonis, a Planning and Parks and Recreation commissioner;
- Mario Obejas, a traffic commissioner;
- Community activist Arthur Schaper;
- Asam Sheikh, senior financial analyst with American Honda;
- Jack Walser, a retail store owner;
- Real estate broker Novelette Witt; and
- 36-year resident Melissa Wright.
Each candidate submitted written answers to a questionnaire.
Torrance, meanwhile, is also transitioning to representation by district. But this seat will be filled as an at-large district until next year, when district representatives for Council Districts 1, 3, and 5 will be chosen.
Districts 2, 4 and 7 were decided in March 2020 elections.
Originally Published: July 9, 2021 at 3:30 PM PDT
