Menlo council appoints planning commissioners Menlo council appoints planning commissioners (May 08, 2002)

By Pam Smith

There will be two new faces, as well as a voice of experience, taking seats at the May 20 meeting of the Menlo Park Planning Commission.

That is when three commissioners, appointed by the City Council April 30, will begin serving four-year terms.

The seven-member Planning Commission makes decisions and recommendations regarding land use.

Bill Halleck, an associate landscape architect for the city of San Jose and 14-year resident of the city, was unanimously re-appointed. He recently finished serving the term of Karen Zak, who resigned in 2000.

The commission meets at least twice a month.

New appointees Melody Pagee and Kelly Fergusson were chosen by the council with three votes each. There were nine total applicants, including Mr. Halleck.

Ms. Pagee, a project manager with mechanical engineering and mathematics degrees, has lived in Menlo Park 30 years. She served on the citizen task force that recently studied ways to revamp the city's residential review process.

Ms. Fergusson, a five-year resident, has a Ph.D. in civil engineering, and had a concentration in land use planning as an undergraduate. She is a consulting civil engineer who specializes in geographic information systems and utilities mapping.

Former commissioner Eric Gilbertson served eight years on the commission, the maximum allowed under City Council policy. Former commissioner Jose Fernandez opted not to re-apply after completing his first term.