Hollywood Park City Council, meeting Aug. 16, discussed enhancing procedures for introducing new council members and for filling empty council seats.

City Secretary Patrick Aten briefed the council on efforts toward updating a 6-year-old manual that serves as orientation for newly elected and appointed council members.

Council Member Glenna Pearce backed redeveloping a guide for new local elected leaders, saying that upon her election in May 2021, she felt a lack of a formal onboarding process from city government.

“It does make be believe in the importance of a process for new and future council members,” Pearce said.

Mayor Sean Moore said he liked the concept of recreating a council members’ manual, but asked to ensure that council does not get bogged down with a comprehensive review of the draft document.



“I think the idea is good; I just don’t want us to micromanage a 150-page manual and every page that comes through to us,” Moore said.

Todd Kounse, who was elected to the council last May, agreed that a new council orientation manual is necessary.

“I think we need it in our hands,” Kounse said.

Chester Drash, appointed to a recent council vacancy in May, agreed with his colleagues.


“I think this is a good idea to have some kind of orientation,” Drash said.

Aten said he would return to the council in September with a draft manual after collecting input from council members.

The council on Aug. 16 also approved an ordinance spelling out protocols for filling a council vacancy.

The ordinance, Aten said, makes it clear that the council may choose between appointing an eligible resident to an empty post or waiting to call a special election to fill that position.


But Aten added that if the council were facing two vacancies simultaneously, the only option then is to call a special election to fill both positions.