Kell Nominates Political Backer for Port Board
Mayor Ernie Kell has recommended that developer and political supporter Alex Bellehumeur be appointed to the city’s Harbor Commission to replace Louise Duvall, who has been on the panel since 1979.
The recommendation will be submitted to the City Council.
Although Duvall’s term expired last year, Kell kept her on the port’s governing board, apparently reluctant to make an appointment to one of the city’s most powerful commissions with an election upcoming. Kell was reelected last month.
Bellehumeur, 55, is president of State-Wide Developers Inc., a Los Alamitos firm that develops commercial and residential property, primarily in Orange County and the Inland Empire.
He served eight years on the local airport commission, led efforts to create the new full-time mayor position that Kell holds and has helped Kell with fund-raising efforts in recent years. Bellehumeur said he recently became semi-retired.
He said he thinks Kell chose him over others because of his experience in development. The only other harbor commissioner with a similar background, Bellehumeur said, is Robert Langslet, whose term expires next year.
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