Five candidates seek Fangary council seat
by Dan Blackburn
Five candidates will seek to fill the remaining term of former Hermosa Beach City Council member Hany Fangary in an all-mail special election on May 11. Fangary resigned in a letter to his council peers Christmas Eve, citing his family’s move to Manhattan Beach.
His term expires Nov. 8, 2022. Fangary had an often contentious relationship with several other
council members and has a lawsuit against the city alleging he was wrongly denied the rotating mayoral post.
Those who turned in candidate papers to the city to replace him
include Randy Balik, a contractor and business owner; Dean Francois, a
retired federal budget director; Raymond Jackson, a retired Army
colonel; Tara McNamara-Stabile, a mom and film journalist; and Daniel
Rittenhouse, a renewable energy executive. Nominating signatures for
all have been validated by the county.
As of Wednesday, nominating signatures for only Francois and Balick had been validated by the county.
Pulling papers but not returning them by deadline were Ryan Nowicki, Christopher Slinger, and Jesika Werchick. Jonathan Wicks did not gather sufficient signatures to qualify,
according to a city spokesperson.
Council members had expected the election to cost $60,000 to $80,000, but the County of Los Angeles’ assistance now is estimated to cost $100,000. Hermosa Beach city officials are negotiating with the county in an attempt to lower that cost. ER