Job Applicants In The Hot Seat At Larkspur City Hall

Brad Marsh is expecting some really exciting news Thursday. It won't be an announcement of his appointment to the Larkspur City Council. It will, however, be the birth of his third child.

Marsh, with at least a few hours to spare before the expected big event, took time out Wednesday night to answer questions from the Larkspur City Council. He was one of five applicants to fill the seat vacated by former councilwoman Joan Lundstrom.

Other applicants interviewed Wednesday at Larkspur City Hall were: new resident Ryan Johnson, Marin Airporter president Grace Hughes, Larkspur's Business Citizen of the Year Peter Riopel and Greenbrae resident Kevin Hara.

Council members spent roughly 45 minutes interviewing each candidate before adjourning for the night. The council is expected to make an appointment at the next regular meeting, Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m.

Marsh, a Greenbrae resident, finished third in the voting in the Nov. 8 election to Mayor Larry Chu and newcomer Ann Morrison. That didn't stop him from taking another shot at the post.

"I got to know many of you in the last election," Marsh told the council members. "You heard my views in the election. You know the kind of person I am. I'm ready to be part of your council."

Marsh received endorsements during the election campaign from outgoing council woman Kathy Hartzell, Lundstrom, Hughes and former Larkspur Mayor Joan Lubamersky, among others. Some of his supporters were in the audience during Wednesday's interviews, which were open to the public.

Council members quizzed applicants about the city's needs, the possibility of a parcel tax or sales tax and tried to solicit suggestions from the candidates.

"One of the fiscal challenges as I see it is going for a tax in the near future," Hughes said. "The most difficult thing is to engage the community to get them to understand, the best we can, what it means to have a tax and what they get out of it."

Hara and Johnson seized on traffic as one of the issues that Larkspur will have to address in the near future. Hara, who indicated he did not support the original SMART proposal, said he expects traffic to get worse.

Riopel was more concerned about attracting new businesses and creating more places for shoppers to park. He proposed streamlining the planning process to make Larkspur more attractive to business owners.

The successful appointee will serve a two-year term.