The city of Santa Clarita received applications from 11 hopefuls for the vacancy on the Planning Commission created by the recent ouster of Denise Lite.
The appointee is to be nominated by Mayor Pro Tem Laurene Weste, and her nominee is likely to receive confirmation from her colleagues, if tradition holds.
The Signal requested the applications submitted to the city by the candidates, who all had verified addresses within city limits, according to Santa Clarita officials.
In alphabetical order:
Daniel Faina is a Valencia resident who works for Williams & Watt Inc. on Avenue Stanford, a recent reorganization of Watt Companies. Faina listed his relevant experience as 18 years working in real estate development and homebuilding for Williams Homes. There he gained experience in working “with city councils, planning commissions and county supervisors on new development in jurisdictions across three states, with a major focus on design,” according to his application
Jesus Henao is a Valencia resident who also is a managing principal for Leola Commercial, a commercial architecture firm with its offices in Canyon Country. Henao, a former candidate for the Saugus Union School District governing board in the District 1 seat, said his qualifications include “30 years in the commercial real estate investment business,” which includes his involvement in “more than $1 billion in commercial real estate sales.”
Edward Hill is a Valencia resident who listed previous experience with several city of Burbank boards on his application. The geologist and retired president of Geotechnologies said he has been an “engineer as well as a lawyer. I understand the entire development process based on my professional experience.” His Burbank experience included separate terms on its transportation and building code appeals boards, as well as five years on its planning board.
Steven Hopp is a Saugus resident who described himself as a veteran and a retired pilot. In his application, he said someone with that experience can “understand the importance of precision, discipline and working as part of a team to achieve long-term goals.” As a 45-year resident of the Santa Clarita Valley, Hopp wrote that he now hopes in retirement he can give back and help preserve the city’s “unique quality of life.”
David Jimenez is a Canyon Country resident and the president of Custody Care Inc., a company he’s owned since 1991, which provides clients with “specialized forensic and clinical psychological expertise,” particularly in legal cases. A local property owner with experience working in projects and development through the management of his property in Los Angeles and Riverside counties, he said he’s also served as a psychological consultant to several regional communities.
Tony Maldonado is a Canyon Country resident who did not list any employment information on his application. He cited several community issues, including his advocacy in opposition to a battery energy storage facility built not far from his home, as why he wanted to become involved in the commission. He said his professional background in strategic analysis has prepared him to evaluate the type of complex proposals the city sees.
J.B. Martinez is a Newhall resident and business development representative for Datalink Networks on Avenue Stanford. He describes his work as IT consulting that helps businesses cut waste, and he’s previously helped run a pair of local campaigns, for Congress and Senate. He previously was appointed to the Financial Accountability and Audit Panel (FAAP) for the city’s Open Space Preservation District, on which he still serves as the body’s vice chair.
Gloria Mercado-Fortine is a Valencia resident who runs Global Education Solutions Consultancy. Mercado-Fortine previously was a four-term board member for the William S. Hart Union High School District, which oversees the Santa Clarita Valley’s public high schools and junior highs. She stated that she also served on various city committees, including “the Anti-Gang Task Force, Neighborhood Empowerment and Safety Team and One Valley One Vision Sub committees,” in her application.
Prital Patel is a Canyon Country resident who works as a manager for UCLA Health in Valencia. In addition to raising his family here, Patel also has 25 years of experience as a licensed Realtor, as well as being a health care professional. On his application, he said this unique combination in his professional background adds a “public health perspective to planning discussions — especially important when considering infrastructure, housing and accessibility.”
Cindy Russo is a Saugus resident who works as a Realtor for the Burbank office of Engel & Voelkers. Russo stated in her application for the seat that her background with commercial and residential property gives her firsthand knowledge of market trends. In addition to owning two properties in the city, her children and grandchildren live here. She said that’s why she’s “passionate about contributing to a well-planned future for our city.”
Jacob Tjoelker is a Canyon Country resident who works as a planning technician for the nearby city of Fillmore. In that capacity he works in urban planning as clerk of the Fillmore Planning Commission, which gives him an understanding of the different laws governing development in California, including “municipal codes, general plans, specific plans and GIS” (geographic information systems used to make maps).
