LAFCO Commission votes to start over the process of choosing a public representative.

A stalemate in a decision to fill a seat on the Local Agency Formation Commission of Monterey County (LAFCO) has been broken, for now, by starting the selection process all over again, a majority of LAFCO commissioners voted on Monday, June 22.

In April the commission found itself stuck when it failed to agree on who to fill the public member seat held by long-time member Matt Gourley, whose latest term ended on May 4. Gourley was seeking appointment to another term against two opponents: Michael DeLapa, executive director of LandWatch Monterey County, and attorney Brian Okazaki.

Kate Daniels and Wendy Root Askew, both Monterey County supervisors representing the County on the seven-member commission, said they could not support Gourley or DeLapa, citing Gourley’s past vote helping to block, at least temporarily, the public takeover of California American Water on the Monterey Peninsula as decided by voters in 2018 and DeLapa’s opposition to an annexation plan in Gonzales. They also did not support newcomer Okazaki.

Gourley remained on the commission, per LAFCO’s bylaws.

The commissioners continued the matter to June 22, when they were presented with the same slate of candidates. This time Root Askew made a motion to start the process over and re-invite candidates to reapply, as well as anyone else from the public who might be interested.

Salinas Mayor Dennis Donohue made a substitute motion to reappoint Gourley, but that vote failed. Root Askew’s motion passed, 4-3.

The commissioners unanimously approved the reappointment of Mike Bickel as an alternate public representative.