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Politics & Government

Brentwood Resident Appointed to Airport Commission [Video]

The mayor and City Council choose Ann Hollister to join the seven-member panel that oversees Los Angeles airports.

The Los Angeles City Council voted 12-0 Wednesday confirming Brentwood resident Ann Hollister as a member of the city's Board of Airport Commissioners.

"I'm honored to be appointed by the mayor, and I look forward to helping implement his vision for the future of what LAX should look like," Hollister told Patch. "Safety is our top concern, but there's a tremendous amount of time and resources being put toward a huge modernization project and improving the experience of LAX for travelers."

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa nominated Hollister in November because he "believed her professional experience made her an ideal candidate for the board," spokesman Peter Sanders told Patch.

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"Ms. Hollister’s professional background is in Democratic politics," according to a document from the mayor's office. "For eighteen years she held a wide range of positions at the local, state and federal levels."

Hollister replaces Walter Zifkin, who stepped down from the commission in August.

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Council members praised her experience as a political consultant and community activist.

"Ann Hollister has the ear of the people, [she] knows how to listen and make the right decisions," Councilman Tom Labonge said during the meeting at City Hall.

"Ann Hollister has been a friend of mine for many, many years," Councilman Paul Koretz said. "She has an incredible resume, and she'll be a terrific choice for this."

Eric Garcetti, president of the 15-member council, called the new commissioner "an extraordinary Angeleno ... [who] will be an amazing asset to the city."

Councilman Bill Rosendahl, who represents Brentwood, Marina del Rey and other Westside communities, told Patch that Hollister will complement commission Vice President Valeria Velasco, a Playa del Rey resident.

"I'm looking forward to her on the commission, and I'm looking forward to her leadership and community involvement," Rosendahl said. "Her notion of democracy and people participation is very much welcomed by me."

Just prior to the council's vote, Rosendahl said one of his "biggest concerns is the 350 acres that is contiguous to the airport, and what do we do with that land going forward." The councilman asked Hollister about the way in which she intends to work with community members, airport officials and others involved in the development project's approval process.

"What I think I can bring to this process is, I've had a long career both as a political staff person and also as an active board member on many boards in the city, where it's constituent politics," Hollister replied.

She added that hearing public feedback "is just the most important thing that can follow the release of the [environmental impact report]," which will likely become available in late spring.

Watch this YouTube video from Rosendahle's office of Hollister being sworn in.

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