Koenig Ousts Leopold’s Cycling Reps, By Jondi Gumz

COMMUNITY NEWS Koenig Ousts Leopold’s Cycling Reps

By Jondi Gumz

When First District Supervisor Manu Koenig, newly elected on a platform of change, wanted his appointees to serve on the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission Bicycle Advisory Committee, he followed the agency’s bylaws and asked for permission from his fellow commissioners.

Grace Voss and her alternate Janneke Strause, both appointed by Koenig’s predecessor John Leopold, objected and asked to complete their three-year terms.

Koenig’s platform called for a vote to see whether people want a passenger train or a bike and pedestrian trail on the under-used rail corridor from Santa Cruz to Watsonville. Leopold favored a passenger train with a trail alongside and his appointees shared his views.

The vote to replace the committee members passed 7-5 with commissioners Randy Johnson, Jacques Bertrand, Bruce McPherson, Kristin Petersen, Greg Caput, and Patrick Mulhearn, voted yes with Koenig. All but Mulhearn are elected officials.

Mike Rotkin, Andy Schiffrin , Sandy Brown, Eduardo Montecino, and chair Aurelio Gonzalez voted no. Brown and Montecino are elected officials.

Caput said he respected Koenig’s right to be able to put whoever he chooses there.

He agreed it’s political, adding, “That’s the field we deal with.”

Gonzalez said volunteers should be able to finish their terms.

Voss is editor of the Santa Cruz County Cycling Club newsletter. Strauss was the executive director of Bike Santa Cruz County,

The 11-member Bicycle Advisory Committee provides input to the Regional Transportation Commission on many bike-related issues, including projects, funding applications and legislation.

The Advisory Committee is chaired by Amelia Conlen of Ecology Action.

The RTC bylaws allow commissioners to choose their committee representatives by obtaining consent of

First District Supervisor Manu Koenig talks to the board about replacing his predecessor’s appointees. their fellow commissioners. Nomination in the past. Schiffrin asked the bylaws be amended to allow for individual appointments, replacing the current process of individual nomination, then confirmation by the full commission. n

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