County 12-18

Brooks Firestone sat through his final meeting as 3rd District representative on the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors on 12/16. Firestone declined to run for a second term and will be replaced by Doreen Farr. His colleagues on the board lauded him for his service, calling him a “renaissance man,” “quality individual,” “exceptional talent,” and “good man.” Firestone summed up his thoughts on his term in office by saying, “It’s been an honor to be here.”

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Supervisor-elect Doreen Farr on 12/16 announced her choice of Marell Brooks for 3rd District Planning Commissioner. Brooks, a 30-year Santa Barbara County resident and vice president on the board of Citizens Planning Association, will be vetted by the entire Board of Supervisors in January. Farr also chose former Lois Capps senior staffer Chris Henson as her chief of staff, and Stephanie Langsdorf, Esther Aguilera, and Elizabeth Farnum as district representatives for her office.

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Appeals of the proposed Lompoc wind farm were punted at the Santa Barbara County supervisors meeting and will instead be heard in February 2009. Acciona Energy’s plan to put 65 wind turbines in the Lompoc foothills is being challenged by the California Department of Fish and Game and a family who lives next to the site. The continuation was granted so that Acciona can attempt a compromise with the appellants.