Every screenplay needs a cast of characters, and there's no shortage with the Ramona Community Planning Group - from the members themselves to the proponents who bring their projects forward to the audience and the groupies that attend.
The Ramona Community Planning Group has 15 elected seats, each which has a term of four years. Half the seats (7 of them) are up every two years, with the balance of the seats up for election the following two years. So, if the voters made a bad choice and elected you to the seat, you're safe for four years. Assuming you aren't recalled (it has happened) or you quit (happens more often).
Of the 15 seats, 14 of them are currently filled. The 15th seat belonged to Bill Jenkin, who was the previous Chair of the Planning Group. He quit the post several months ago, first calling it "an extended leave of absence" but when the local newspaper started writing about it, he quit. It was also a little difficult to attend meetings, since he lives in Washington state. (Not that you actually have to LIVE in Ramona to be a Planning Group member, but why put yourself through the abuse AND have to travel 20 miles to be there at every meeting?)
The 15th seat has yet to be filled. The Acting Chair, Helene Radzik, has done her best to prolong the vacant seat being filled. Had Bill Jenkin quit at the beginning of his "extended leave" that open seat would have gone to Lew Kraus, an incumbent in the last election who was next in line should someone leave prematurely. It's a 6-month rule, and a common debate among planning group members when they realize someone they DON'T want is suddenly next in line.
The most famous of the "don't want's" was Dutch van Dierendonck, a self-described retired air force colonel and famous dressage instructor. Except that he wasn't a retired air force colonel; had a very small following as a dressage instructor; and had a history as long as the gray ponytail he used to sport. The Ramona Planning Group was able to never recommend him to the seat, and he soon moved out of town to a little community in Arizona called Snowflake. It became the running joke in Ramona that "there's no flake in Snowflake like Dutch van Dierendonck" and so well known was Dutch that when people found out he was leaving, there was a Farewell Dutch party hosted by his neighbors - and the guest of honor was requested not to attend!
The Acting Chair, Helene, up until Bill Jenkin resigned, was the Vice Chair, a post that primarily logs the speaker slips and sits next to the Chair. It's kind of like sitting next to God, and seemingly the Chairs seem to think they are.
The rest of the members are Chris Anderson, Kathy Finley (original), Pastor Luanna Stines, Carolyn Dorroh, Angus Tobiason, Kristi Mansolf, Torry Brean, Andrew Simmons, Vivian Osborne, Matt Deskovich, Dennis Grimes and Kathy Finley (new).
