Lee Williams, a San Pedro Realtor who has been active in community groups and is well-known in the Harbor Area, has been nominated by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass for a position on the five-member harbor commission.
Williams is the third nominee put forward by Bass, who can, as mayor, replace all five of the sitting commissioners, if she chooses. But Bass is not expected to conduct a clean sweep of the panel.
Earlier, she nominated former U.S. Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard to take the seat now held by Lucia Moreno-LInares of Wilmington; and Michael Muñoz, research director for the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, to replace Anthony Pirozzi of San Pedro.
Williams, meanwhile, would fill the seat now held by Jaime Lee, who also serves as president of the Los Angeles harbor commission.
While the potential role is daunting, Williams said, it also offers opportunity.
“I’m excited about the things that are going on at the waterfront and the opportunities,” Williams said in a telephone interview.
He now joins the other two nominees in the queue to receive City Council confirmation.
The confirmation process requires them to first be vetted by the county’s Trade, Travel and Tourism Committee, and then approved by the full panel.
In her letter nominating Williams, Bass described the Realtor as “especially qualified by reason of training and experience for the work.”
City Councilmember Tim McOsker, whose 15th District includes the Port of Los Angeles, said he was pleased with the pick.
“Local representation and advocacy is imperative for this commission and I’m glad it is being recognized by the Mayor,” McOsker said in a written comment. “Harbor area residents deeply understand that the Port Complex creates opportunities for good jobs and economic development, but also comes with the challenges of environmental impacts in our local communities that surround our port.”
Williams’s experience and perspective on those issues, McOsker said,…
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