Conservancy committee seat up for grabs

Paul Clinton

CIVIC CENTER -- Now that Burbank has been given a seat on the Santa

Monica Mountains Conservancy Advisory Committee, the city must find

someone to fill the chair.

Council members decided Tuesday to seek applicants from the pubic,

instead of sending one of its own or appointing a city staffer.

“I know there are a lot of people who have interest in this,”

Councilman Dave Golonski said. “I think we’ll find lots of good,

qualified people.”

With the passage a bill sponsored by state Sen. Adam Schiff, six

additional cities -- Burbank, Glendale, La Canada Flintridge, Pasadena,

Malibu and Calabasas -- were given representation on the advisory

committee, increasing it to 23 members.

Gov. Gray Davis signed the bill July 26. It will become law Jan. 1.

The City Council will accept applications for the post until Dec. 30.

The council is scheduled to make the appointment at its Jan. 11 meeting.

The conservancy advisory committee is scheduled to meet in

mid-January. If Burbank has not selected its representative by then, a

Park and Recreation Department appointee will fill in temporarily.

Established in 1979, the conservancy acquires land for conservation

and other environmental protection programs. The agency manages more than

17,000 acres of park land in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

Burbank officials said having a local representative on the panel will

give the city greater influence in regional environmental policy making.

“It’s going to be an exciting opportunity,” Park and Recreation

Director Mary Alvord said. “It’s very important that we have somebody at

the table.”

HOW TO APPLY

* To apply for Burbank’s seat on the Santa Monica Mountains

Conservancy Advisory Committee, pick up an application at the city

clerk’s office at City Hall, 275 E. Olive Ave.

* For more information, call 238-5851.

* The deadline to submit applications is Dec. 30.