Thank You To All The Great Manhattan Beach Candidates

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — Manhattan Beach Patch wants to thank each and every resident who ran for a seat in the Nov. 3rd election. Whether you were one of the seven aiming for a Manhattan Beach City Council seat, one of the four looking to serve our public school district or one of the candidates for the Beach Cities Health District, your efforts have made a difference, and I thank and congratulate you! It's because of people like you that Manhattan Beach enjoys a well-funded city and school district, a vibrant entrepreneurial spirit... and is always finding new ways to help others thrive.

The pandemic has made this year unlike any other, and certainly like nothing any of us have ever experienced in our lifetimes. Again, thank you for carrying on and finding ways to campaign. Even with COVID-19 and some differences in candidate platforms that sparked discussions, I know each of you 13 candidates has been a vested community member looking to help.

Re-elected incumbent/Manhattan Beach City Council members Steve Napolitano and Mayor Richard Montgomery have served our community well during the pandemic and have solid years of service to our city from previous years on city council. Napolitano is a lifelong resident who wants to have a voice and lead our city to a bright future so that his kids can enjoy what he's enjoyed. Montgomery likes to connect with people and make things work. He works tirelessly on our behalf.

Grettel Fournell, Joe Franklin and Mark Burton have raised their families here and have a wealth of talents and abilities they have long shared with our community. Their dedication and devotion to our public schools, city government, youth sports, city commissions cannot be overlooked for its because of people like them who serve that we are a better city, a stronger community.

Phoebe Lyons took the bull by the horns and at 23 years of age ran a very successful campaign on a low budget and without the finesse of those whose experience has included city government. Instead, she assembled a team of talented young adults and employed a steadfast ethic to her campaign. She took zero endorsements, preferring to simply communicate with residents and learn more about their needs and wants.

Chaz Flemmings, another under 30 candidate, moved to Manhattan Beach last November and took on the challenge of being a newbie in a land dominated by a community awash in residents who have lived here 20-40 years as well as the newer demographic of well-off families who can afford the high price tags of homes in Manhattan Beach. Flemmings gave it panache, a refreshing straightforwardness, a naivete that put him at odds with much of what Manhattan Beach thinks it is about. And yet he ran. And he learned. And he held firm. And he engaged. That's what a strong man does.

I know much less about the candidates for MBUSD: Cathey Graves, Jason Boxer, Mike Brunick and Heather de Roos, and they, too, deserve praise for their efforts. I do know that any one of those candidates would be of benefit to the MBUSD board. But only two could be elected.

I am excited to see Dr. Martha Koo make it to the Beach Cities Health District Board of Directors. She has a fabulous mental health resume that should bring major benefits to residents in the cities BCHD serves: Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach.

I am bummed that Karen Komatinsky did not get elected to the BCHD board. That entity is losing out on a woman who has served 10 years on the MBUSD school board and a woman who fights for youths and kids and health. She has a savvy financial background and great ideas that would have made BCHD better. I'm guessing she'll find another way to serve our community.

I had the privilege of interacting quite a bit with our city council candidates. I thank them for answering my endless questions and for tackling the world of politics and media. Answering questions isn't always easy but I do believe honesty is the best policy.

You can tell I was excited to see young adults step into the mix. And I also know what experience offers. The best part is there can be a mashup of input regardless of who has won ANY of the races and who hasn't. But it is up to you to play your part—participate, interact, ask questions, provide input, and hold your elected officials accountable.

Finally, I want to thank Richard Montgomery for his Gold level ads on Manhattan Beach Patch. I can tell you, they got results. I also want to thank Phoebe Lyons, Joe Franklin, Grettel Fournell and Mark Burton for their Silver level ads. It has meant a great deal to me to have five of the seven council candidates run ads on Manhattan Beach Patch.

In the coming days, there may be updates to election numbers due to the ongoing vote certification process. Manhattan Beach Patch will provide any notable updates.

In the meantime, thank you Richard, Steve, Grettel, Joe, Mark, Phoebe, Chaz, Karen, Martha, Cathey, Jason, Mike and Heather. And thank you Manhattan Beach for allowing me the privilege of being the Community Publisher of Manhattan Beach Patch.

Best,

Liz Spear
Community Publisher
Manhattan Beach Patch
Liz.Spear@Patch.com
310.613.6016