Update 1/20. – Meister chooses Kimberly Winick as her direct appointee to the Public Safety Commission.
Item E4 on Tuesday’s City Council meeting agenda is Councilmember Lauren Meister’s new direct appointment to the West Hollywood Public Safety Commission.
The open seat came about after the resignation of former Commissioner George Nickle. Nickle was appointed to the Public Safety Commission in 2022 and was a city council candidate in the 2024 election.
Councilmember Meister is in her final year of service on the West Hollywood City Council. Due to the term limit initiative passed by voters in 2013, members of the city council are allowed to serve a total of three full terms. Meister was first elected to the city council in 2015, and was re-elected in 2019 and 2022. The open seat on the Public Safety Commission will serve for the balance of her term, with the full commission term expiring in February 2027.
It is customary to fill out an application for the post if you are interested. Even if you speak to a council member directly to inquire about an open commission seat, in most cases the council member will tell you to fill out the form. In most cases, the latest applicant, who would have filled out their application after a call to the council person, has pointed to the winner.
There are nine applicants listed on the staff report and their date of application:
12/5/25 Kimberly Winnick; 12/4/25 Edd Holman; 12/1/25 Albert Trombetta; 12/1 Kyle Brazeal; 11/30/25 Baileigh Gentry; 11/25/25 Angela Ford; 11/20/25 Richard C. Leroy; 11/16/25 Adam Eramian; 11/13 Todd Barnes.
The SAFE Pick: Kimberly Winick
Winick is a resident of West Hollywood West, she is a homeowner and served as the direct appointee of former Councilmember Sepi Shyne to the Transportation and Mobility Commission. Kimberly is an active senior who brings a unique perspective to the Public Safety Commission. In addition, Kimberly recently lost her husband Larry and it would be a blessing for Ms. Winick to have the support of Council member Meister and feel the community behind her.
The LOYAL Pick: Adam Eramian
Eramian served as an at-large appointee beginning in 2020 and was elected Chair in July of 2024 until he was not reappointed after the 2024 election cycle. Adam’s day job has been the general manager of Micky’s, who have long supported Meister’s bid and tenure on the city council. With only a short time to make a difference, Eramian could hit the ground running.
The Divisive Pick: Kyle Brazeal
Brazeal is an east side resident who has spoken up strongly against the Fountain Ave. Streetscape project. His pointed words and direct hits at Council member Erickson landed in this public comment. Brazeal likes to play rough. It’s not Meister’s style, but Brazeal has allies in Meister’s inner circle.
The Merit Pick: Edd Holman
Nobody deserves it more than Edd. Mr. Holman is often seen speaking at city council meetings for issues of concern throughout the city. He is also the Neighborhood Watch Captain for the Gelson Heights Neighborhood Watch Group. Edd has led National Night Out efforts and often attends and speaks at the Public Safety Commission meetings. Edd does not need a commission post to show up and speak up for years.
Todd Barnes is the General Manager at the Abbey/Chapel. The applicant with the oldest application date on the form never wins. Often it is the last applicant to apply after they confer with the appointing council person who encourages them to fill out the application form. I’m not familiar with the other applicants for the post.
In this case, and I’ll go on the line here—merit won’t win, and Lauren doesn’t have the bandwidth for more divisive politics. Lauren is very loyal and I’m sure it is a tough choice. But in this game of life—which means a lot more than ten months serving on the city council or on a commission—I expect Lauren to play it safe and keep it close to home. And that we all get the chance to congratulate Commissioner Kimberly Winnick.
Each of these potential appointees bring unique and specific strengths to the table and would bring balance to the Public Safety Commission. They are all focused on real world policies that impact the residents and WeHo businesses.
Meister, time to leave your mark; please put Kyle Brazeal on the Public Safety Commission. It’s time for someone with balls, whose agenda is the good of West Hollywood and not the special interest groups.
Yes! Brazeal is not divisive; he’s bold and speaks his own mind, a true rarity in our once fair hamlet. Winnick carries the stain of being a Shyne appointee and that’s a complete no-go to me, unless she diplomatically addresses how she’s not a Shyner.