LOS ANGELES COUNTY : Agency for Incorporation of Cities Gets New Chief
The board of the agency that oversees city incorporations in Los Angeles County on Wednesday chose a replacement for its outgoing executive officer, appointing the current head of Orange County’s corresponding agency.
James J. Colangelo, 34, will take over the reins of the Los Angeles Local Agency Formation Commission at the start of next year, when Ruth Benell will retire after 21 years as LAFCO’s executive officer.
Colangelo, who has led the Orange County LAFCO since 1988, was one of nine people who responded to the Los Angeles agency’s advertisement in mid-September. The seven-member board on Wednesday interviewed three finalists for the post and made its decision shortly afterward.
Colangelo was Orange County LAFCO’s assistant executive officer for two years before taking the top post, and his experience gave him the edge over other applicants, said Ed Edelman, a board member and a county supervisor. LAFCOs are established by the state to rule on incorporations and annexations.
The Los Angeles agency was a key player in development of the northern part of the county in the 1980s, ruling on the incorporation of Santa Clarita and Calabasas.
“I want to get in there and figure out what the key projects are right now,” Colangelo said.
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