The Castaic Area Town Council is expected to announce two new representatives to replace a pair who had stepped off in recent months.
Town Council President Bob Lewis said the two chosen applicants, Cheryl Arabalo for Region 1, and Roberta Newton, for Region 2, would be announced at the council’s March 18 meeting, when they would begin their one-year term.
The group functions as a 10-person advisory board — two for each “area” — that hosts monthly meetings to discuss community issues and advise L.A. County on projects that could have community impact.
The members generally serve four-year terms. However, there have been two resignations since last year.
Stephen Howse, a longtime resident who represented the council’s Region 2, which includes Val Verde, stepped down last year. He said he could not deal with the health impacts from the neighboring Chiquita Canyon Landfill any longer, and after months of trying, he found a buyer who wasn’t bothered by the smell, he said.
Howse, who is also the named plaintiff in a lawsuit against the landfill with thousands of parties, said he moved to the other side of the Santa Clarita Valley.
His replacement, Cheryl Abalo, also has been an opponent of the landfill, attending several meetings and making public comments in an effort to make officials and regulators aware of how the landfill is negatively impacting the community’s health.
Jason Gardner was one of two representatives for Region 2, which is made up of Live Oak, North Bluffs, Hillcrest Park, Hasley Hills and the Valencia Commerce Center neighborhoods. Lewis said that in sharing his decision to step down, Gardner had cited increasing work obligations that would keep him from fulfilling the council role.
He will be replaced by Roberta Newton.
Lewis said the chosen applicants were picked from a total of six people, all of whom, he said were qualified applicants.
The council chose the members in accordance with its bylaws, which calls for an appointment due to the fact that there was less than one year left for the terms of Gardner and Howse.
He encouraged everyone who had submitted their names for the opening to run for the full four-year term, for which the council is scheduled to have an election in November.
