Candidates introduced in Westlake Village





By Lori Porter
Acorn Staff Writer

The Westlake Joint Board of Homeowner Associations convened for a special meeting last Thursday evening to introduce residents to the three candidates seeking office in the upcoming election for Westlake Village City Council.


The candidates introduced themselves and talked about their plans for maintaining and acquiring open space in Westlake Village and other issues.


Jim Bruno expressed concern about Lot 79, an open site. It’s been a hot topic for Westlake Village council members for a long time. Months ago, the council voted either to preserve it as open space or turn it into a passive park. A final decision hasn’t been made.


Bruno said his experience as a former planning commissioner would be a great asset to the city of Westlake Village.


Council challenger Philippa Klessig spoke about her passion for open space. She wants to improve communication with the residents of Westlake. "No matter how good our programs are," Klessig said, "they are no good if the city doesn’t know about them."


Reiterating his slogan of preserving Westlake’s beauty instead of changing it, candidate Michael Edelstein reminded those in attendance about his efforts to stop the senior housing project at Lindero and Ridgeford Drive. Edelstein circulated a petition against the project and received hundreds of signatures. A resident at the meeting asked Edelstein how he proposed stopping contractors from building in Westlake and Edelstein replied jokingly, "I’ll throw my body in front of any bulldozer."


He said open space is his No. 1 priority.



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