The polls have been open for seven hours and seven candidates are vying for three seats. The seven candidates running are Hamish Patterson, Skylar Peak, Hanz Laetz, Andy Lyon, Joan House, Missy Zeitsoff and John Sibert.
Hamish Patterson: With a background in environmental chemistry from Northern Arizona University, Patterson is passionate about the Malibu Lagoon Restoration Project and plans to stop the project before its scheduled June start. “Why we’re fighting the lagoon so adamantly is that it doesn’t need to happen that way,” Patterson said. Patterson is dedicated to finding other solutions for the Lagoon Restoration and will do so if he wins one of the three seats.
Skylar Peak: Peak, a 27-year-old Malibu native, is the youngest candidate running for election in over a decade. Peak is dedicated to providing a voice for the community, hopes to make Malibu its own district and plans to find alternative solutions to the Malibu Lagoon Restoration Project. “And those are the kinds of things that separate me from the other candidates; from putting myself out there, being involved, going to school here, coming from a family that’s been here a really long time, and not having an agenda. My agenda is ‘let’s listen to what the people want,” Peak said.
Hanz Laetz: Laetz believes that Malibu is a special place and desires to make Malibu a better place. “Malibu has been a city for 21 years and hasn’t really acted like one,” Laetz said. He believes that personally introducing himself to community members will lead him to a seat on the Malibu City Council. Laetz has personally distributed over 800 brochures. He currently works on environmental law issues, in addition to being a part-time news editor at City News Service, the largest local newswire service in the country. In total, he has been a professional journalist for 40 years, 25 of which he spent in television news at stations, KCBS and KTLA.
Andy Lyon: Lyon is dedicated to combat the uprising of a “new Malibu”. He hopes to restore Malibu to its original state and to leave the Malibu Lagoon as it is. “The whole thing I am fighting for with the city council is just cleaning house and starting over. It has been 20 years and they have totally jacked the whole place up,” Lyon said. Lyon hopes to win one of the three seats and plans to bring the Malibu City Council back to its roots.
Joan House: House, a previous City Council member in 1992, 1996 and 2000, is running for a seat in this election. As a 37-year Malibu Resident, House plans to focus on preserving Malibu’s natural and cultural resources, build a budget reserve equal to a year’s revenue and remodel the Michael Landon Recreation Center. She believes in “putting your money with your mouth is” and is passionate about Malibu policies.
Missy Zeitsoff: Candidate Missy Zeitsoff sat on the first municipal government when the city was incorporated in 1991, but dropped out after the tragic murder of her 17-year-old son. Zeitso ff is running on a platform to “Keep Malibu Malibu” by tightening the fiscal budget and by favoring local businesses. Her key concerns are stopping the Malibu Lagoon Restoration Project and the sewer construction on Civic Center Way.
John Sibert: Sibert is the only incumbent seeking reelection. Winning this election would allow Sibert to give back to Malibu by focusing on his top three priorities — the environment, fiscal disciple and public safety. “This is not my whole life but I think it’s important to give back. I’m at the stage of my life where I can do that,” Sibert said.
