Local News in Brief : Council Picks 2 for Posts on San Fernando Planning Board

The San Fernando City Council this week appointed two residents to the Planning Commission to fill seats vacated by the election of Daniel Acuna and Ray D. Silva to the council.

Gene Wyatt, 53, test director at Lockheed Research Center in Castaic and a resident of San Fernando for 31 years, was appointed to fill the final year of Acuna’s term.

Helen Arriola, 41, a consultant with the state Fair Political Practices Commission and a resident for nine years, will take Silva’s place for the three years remaining in his term. Planning commissioners serve four-year terms.

Both commissioners said they will push for a revitalization of the San Fernando Mall. They also want to study ways to improve deteriorating neighborhoods.

At Monday night’s meeting, Mayor Jess Margarito and Silva voted against Wyatt’s appointment. Margarito said he would have preferred the appointment of another Latino to the commission to create “representation from every area of the city.”

The city is accepting applications to fill an opening on the Parks and Recreation Commission. Applicants do not have to be city residents. The four-year term entails developing park programs and recommending to the council how park money should be spent.