November City Council Race Heats Up With New Potential Candidate

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — Former Manhattan Beach City Council member Mark Burton and incumbent Steve Napolitano are one step closer to officially securing their run for office. Both candidates have returned the paperwork necessary to run the the City Clerk's office and await verification from Los Angeles County. In addition, Phoebe Lyons, a new potential candidate, has pulled papers to run for City Council.

Napolitano is one of two incumbents seeking re-election. He joins Mayor Richard Montgomery in running to serve another four years. Council member Nancy Hersman is not seeking re-election after deciding to "retire and enjoy life a little more." Former MB council member Wayne Powell has also told Manhattan Beach Patch he will not run.

Napolitano was on Manhattan Beach's city council from 1992-2005, and then became senior deputy to LA County Supervisor Don Knabe from 2005-2016, when Knabe retired. He told Manhattan Beach Patch, "Four years ago, I ran to get our city working again and get things done. I ran to rebuild a positive partnership with our school district, keep us safe, protect our small town atmosphere, help our local businesses and provide balanced, common sense leadership.

"I've been able to accomplish a lot these past four years, but there's still more to do. We’re in the middle of a pandemic that may be the greatest challenge we’ll face in our lifetimes. We’re in a hyper partisan atmosphere where people are shouting at each other more than listening. Now more than ever, I believe we need an experienced, nonpartisan approach to solving our problems, keeping us safe, and helping us recover. And yes, get things done."

Said Burton in a news release, "All too often, the Council has stopped listening to our residents and are doing the bidding of special interests, people of wealth and means or a political party.” He notes that during his 4-year term on the MB city council, he promised “transparency” and delivered with the adoption of a series of open government initiatives. He says that during his term as mayor, "Council was more open and honest in all respects with more community engagement."

Burton is a former city attorney for Los Angeles who served as a prosecutor, trial attorney and principal legal advisor to the Los Angeles police and fire departments, Airport Police and the Emergency Operations Department. The LA Police Commission awarded him the Distinguished Service medal in recognition of his work in implementing critical police reforms.

In addition to Lyons, who just pulled papers to run yesterday, other potential candidates who have also pulled papers include Joe Franklin, Grettel Fournell and Chaz Flemmings. Current council member Hildy Stern and Mayor Pro Tem Suzanne Hadley are only two years into a four-year term. City Treasurer Tim Lilligren has pulled and filed papers to seek re-election.

The November 3rd elections will include voting for President of the United States. To check to see if you are registered to vote in LA County or to register to vote in LA County, the county registrar-reorder/county clerk has a webpage.

PREVIOUSLY: Five Locals Pull Papers To Run For Manhattan Beach City Council

PREVIOUSLY: Manhattan Beach Man Determined To Run For City Council In 2020