UPDATE: The City Council on Friday voted unanimously to appoint Eve Fromberg Edelstein, a local attorney and DAP Health board member, to fill the vacancy.

Vacancy on Rancho Mirage City Council Draws Wide Interest

RANCHO MIRAGE — Thirteen residents applied to fill the vacancy on the Rancho Mirage City Council, according to City Clerk Kristie Ramos.

The vacancy was created when Rancho Mirage Councilmember Meg Marker resigned in the middle of a meeting in September. She resigned over a proposed conflict-of-interest policy that she opposed.

Whoever is appointed will serve until 2026, the end of Marker’s original term. The seat will then return to the normal election cycle.

They are in the order they were submitted:

  • Grey, David
  • Galton, Gary
  • Cunningham, Eric
  • Samuels, Peter
  • Bryant, E.D. Murray
  • Fromberg Edelstein, Eve
  • Kaiman, Barry
  • Anderson, Brad
  • McLean, Kelly
  • Ross, Nathan
  • Lewis, Nate
  • Panesar, Jeevan
  • Stein, Donald

Ten presented their case to the Council on Thursday during a special meeting. The three that did not make their vase will not be considered, Mayor Steve Downs told Uken Report.

The three who did not attend are: Brad Anderson, Nathan Ross and Jeevan Panesar. “Mr. Ross and Mr. Panesar did communicate with the city to let us know that personal issues prevented them from attending.  Mr. Anderson was a ‘no-show’ ” Downs said.

“These 10 are an excellent group of applicants,” Downs said. “Four are lawyers, five have served on various city commissions, two have served on the Planning Commission, nine have served on a variety of other non-profit boards, many of them prominent Coachella Valley organizations, three have served as President or Chair of those various non-profit boards. all 10 are successful entrepreneurs / investors / business-people / law firm owners – operators and one is a Chamber of Commerce member, a former CofC BOD member, a former CofC Chair of the BOD.”

Of the 5 candidates in the recent election for two Council seats, two did not apply (Avrashow / Goodman).  Nate Lewis was the only candidate who did apply.

In the recent election for City Council  seats, the two “negative” candidates drew a combined 33% of the vote, according to Downs.  The three “positive” candidates (Nate Lewis included with Ted Weill and Michael O’Keefe) drew a combined 67% of the vote.  “By a 2:1 margin the voters provided a clear mandate to “positive” direction of this city council.

The City Council will meet in special session at 1 p.m. today, Friday, Nov. 15, to consider the applications. Downs said the Council may or may not reach a decision today.

 

 

Image Sources

  • Rancho Mirage City Council Chambers: City of Rancho Mirage