HUNTINGTON BEACH : Banker to Be Named to Plan Commission

Mayor Jim Silva will appoint a local bank president to serve on the city Planning Commission to replace Kirk Kirkland, who resigned under pressure from Silva this week.

Philip S. Inglee, 55, president and chief executive officer of Liberty National Bank in Huntington Beach, will be officially nominated by Silva on Monday night and will take his seat on the seven-member commission the following evening.

Inglee recently served as chairman of the city’s Budget Task Force, which warned City Council members frequently and forcefully that the local infrastructure was deteriorating and could no longer be ignored.

In 1988, Inglee served on the city’s growth management committee, which looked at long-term community development goals.

Inglee has demonstrated his commitment to the community through his volunteer efforts and has the “knowledge and skill” to be a good planning commissioner, Silva said.

He added that his decision this week to seek Kirkland’s resignation stemmed from differences of opinion on the Pierside Village restaurant complex, and not because he reportedly had regarded Kirkland a political liability. Silva is seeking reelection in November.

Silva voted against the project when it came before the City Council last year, while Kirkland was a proponent of the restaurant development, and they also differed over Kirkland’s desire to crack down on alleged sign violations by Beach Boulevard businesses.

Silva called Kirkland “a nice person who did a good job.”