August 26, 2025
Agenda Item No. 33
TO:
HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:
Tara Finnigan, Assistant City Manager - 949-644-3035, [email protected] PREPARED BY:
Molly Perry, Interim City Clerk - 949-644-3005, [email protected] TITLE:
Confirmation of Nominees to Serve on the Aviation Committee ABSTRACT:
At the June 10, 2025, meeting, the Newport Beach City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-31, amending the structure, membership, roles and responsibilities of the Aviation Committee (Attachment A). The amended resolution stated that all previously appointed citizen members of the committee would continue to serve until June 30, 2025.
After the posting of a vacancy notice and application deadline, the City Clerk’s Office received 23 applications for the five citizen-member appointments. The Aviation Ad Hoc Committee reviewed all applications and conducted interviews based on the qualifications and expertise of the applicants. Per City Council Policy A-2, 10 nominees have been selected for the five citizen-member appointments. If the City Council approves the nominees, they will be submitted to the Council for final selection and appointment at its September 9, 2025, meeting.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
a) Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly; b) Confirm the nominations made by the Aviation Ad Hoc Committee:
Kurt Belcher
Cassie Bretschger
Jeffrey Cole
Ryan Dougherty
Barbara Lichman
Nicholas Prytherch
Michael Radigan
Timothy Strader, Jr.
John “Jack” Stranberg
Mary-Christine (MC) Sungaila; and
c) Direct the City Clerk to agendize a formal vote for five citizen-member appointments for the September 9, 2025, City Council meeting.
DISCUSSION:
At its February 25, 2025, meeting, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-10, establishing an Aviation Ad Hoc Committee (Committee) to review and make recommendations regarding the structure of the Aviation Committee. The Committee consisted of City Councilmember Barto, Mayor Pro Tem Kleiman and Mayor Stapleton. At the June 10, 2025, meeting, the Newport Beach City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-31, amending the structure, membership, roles and responsibilities of the Aviation Committee.
After adoption of Resolution No. 2025-31, the City Clerk posted the Notice of Vacancy on June 12, 2025, announcing that applications would be accepted through July 3, 2025, for the five citizen-member vacancies. The Aviation Ad Hoc Committee reviewed 23 applications, and conducted interviews based on the qualifications and expertise of the applicants (Attachment B).
Terms of the five citizen-member appointees, beginning July 1, 2025, will be as follows:
Two citizen appointed members shall have an initial term of two years and shall be eligible for reappointment for two additional four-year terms.
Up to three citizen appointee members shall have an initial term of four years and shall be eligible for appointment to one additional four-year term.
Staff is requesting that the City Council make appointments to fill these vacancies at its Tuesday, September 9, 2025, meeting. All new terms will be effective July 1, 2025, with an expiration date of June 30, 2027, for two of the citizen-member appointees and June 30, 2029, for three citizen members, as indicated above. The individuals selected to fill the two-year terms will be eligible to reapply to serve for a full four-year term.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact related to this item.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
Staff recommends the City Council find this action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly.
NOTICING:
The agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the meeting at which the City Council considers the item).
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A – Resolution No. 2025-31
Attachment B – Nominated Applicant Applications
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Confirmation of Nominees to Serve on the Aviation Committee August 26, 2025
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