DOWNEY - After eight years, Michael Murray has served his last planning commission meeting.Councilman Luis Marquez beat Murray last November to win re-election to the city council. But Marquez switched from district 5 (city-wide) to district 1 (south Downey) and brought his planning commissioner, Hector Lujan, with him. Marquez also appointed Betty Monroy to the Library Advisory Board, Janet Molinaro to the Green Task Force, and Patrick Owens and Marybeth Vergara to the Public Works Committee. Alex Saab, the new district 5 councilman, tapped Jim Rodriguez to serve on the planning commission. Meanwhile, the planning commission has revised its rules and regulations to more closely match the order of city council meetings. Meetings will now have designated times for non-agenda public comments, along with Pledge of Allegiance and roll call. A paragraph was added to the agenda to explain that consent calendar items will be approved in a single motion unless a commissioner or citizen pulls an item for discussion.

********** Published: January 24, 2013 - Volume 11 - Issue 41