LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Following interviews of three candidates on Thursday evening, the Clearlake City Council chose two to join the Clearlake Planning Commission.
Christopher Inglis and Jack Smalley were selected in a unanimous vote to serve four-year terms on the commission.
They will join the five-member commission, whose other members are Robert Coker, Terry Stewart and Fawn Williams.
Inglis and Smalley succeed Lisa Wilson and Erin McCarrick on the commission.
Wilson had previously indicated she did not intend to seek another term. On Thursday evening, McCarrick clarified for the city — which had reported that she was seeking another term — that she also did not intend to return to the commission.
The city received five applications for the two seats. In addition to Inglis and Smalley, applicants were Jamie DeWalt, Chris Jennings and Carlos Eduardo Ramos.
Jennings pulled out of the running before the meeting and Ramos did not appear for the interviews.
The council asked a series of questions of each candidate. DeWalt went first, and the others were asked to wait outside of the council chambers during her interview.
DeWalt works for a bank, Inglis is a certified financial planner and Smalley works for the county of Lake as a plans examiner. While DeWalt and Smalley both have lived in the county for more than 25 years, Inglis is a relative newcomer.
All of the interviewees noted interest in city growth and housing.
Smalley, in particular, noted that he felt that the housing issue is a major one for the whole state, and that Clearlake is going in a good direction with its effort to develop more housing.
“Getting people off the street should be a major objective,” he said.
Following the interviews, the council voted by ballot and City Clerk Melissa Swanson conducted the tabulation. Smalley received the most votes, followed by Inglis, DeWalt and Ramos.
During public comment, Rick Mayo, the Lake County NAACP Branch president and co-founder, who also is a former city planning commissioner, said he was glad to see how the council was handling the appointments for the very important position.
“It’s a big job,” Mayo said.
Councilman Dirk Slooten moved to appoint Smalley and Inglis, with Councilman David Claffey seconding and the council approving the motion 5-0.
Councilman Russell Cremer said it was a tough vote, noting that DeWalt also is qualified.
Mayor Russell Perdock asked DeWalt to apply again as he wanted to encourage community members to participate.
Claffey called them “three incredible candidates,” adding that there is a lot of need within the community for people like them.
The Clearlake Planning Commission is next set to meet on March 14.
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Clearlake City Council appoints two new planning commissioners
- Elizabeth Larson
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