Story Created:
Oct 29, 2009 at 10:10 AM PST
Story Updated:
Oct 29, 2009 at 10:10 AM PST
HUNTINGTON PARK — Women won the “battle of the sexes” to name a new Planning Commissioner after the male candidate voluntarily dropped out.
Daniel Calderon withdrew his application Oct. 19 at the request of the City Council, which was deadlocked for a month on the issue.
Council members then voted 4-0 to appoint the female applicant, Avygail Sanchez, to fill the remaining term of Marial Sanders, which expires Jan. 16, 2010.
Sanders has moved from the city after serving on the commission for six years.
Vice Mayor Juan Noguez abstained from voting on the advice of City Attorney Francisco Leal.
Noguez said one of the five applicants, Cuauhtemoc Moreno, is a relative. A second applicant approached him privately seeking support. That could be illegal, Leal said.
With Noguez abstaining, the council deadlocked 2-2 with Mayor Mario Gomez and Councilman Andy Molina, supporting Calderon while Councilwomen Elba Guerrero and Ofelia Hernandez opted for Sanchez.
Gomez noted that Calderon was recommended 3-0 by the Planning Commission. Guerrero said she did not want to see a third Realtor on the commission even though Sanders was a third Realtor there.
Guerrero and Hernandez thanked Calderon for “being a gentleman” and urged him to consider a vacant term on the city-appointed Historical Preservation Commission, previously held by Sanchez.
Calderon said he would since he wants to serve the city.
He has lived in Huntington Park for 13 years and has had an office here for 20 years. He attended Gage Middle School and Huntington Park High School.
Calderon is active with the Huntington Park High School Alumni Committee, was on the Huntington Park Centennial Committee in 2006 and takes part in the annual Chamber of Commerce Christmas parade.
Sanchez has lived in Huntington Park more than 25 years and earned her master’s degree in planning at UCLA in 2004. She is employed with an engineering firm outside the city.
Besides the Historic Preservation Commission she has been a member of the Central Committee of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party.
Other candidates were Sam Flores, a member of the Health and Education Commission; Efren Martinez, an unsuccessful City Council candidate three years ago; and Moreno, a volunteer with several civic groups.
Existing planning commissioners are Eddie Carbajal and Eddie Benitez, who are Realtors; Rosa Perez, former city treasurer and widow of the late Councilman Raul Perez; and Veronica Lopez.
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