PAIR JOIN PLANNING BOARD BERG, THOMPSON NAMED TO FILL VACANCIES.

Byline: Charles F. Bostwick Staff Writer

PALMDALE - Former Palmdale School District board member Fred Thompson and businessman Spencer Berg have been named to the city Planning Commission.

Thompson was picked over two other applicants for the seat representing the central city and Berg was chosen out of six applicants for the west Palmdale seat in two 4-0 votes Monday night by the city council.

``I think we need that perspective on the board right now,'' Councilman Fred Hofbauer said of Thompson, an Antelope Valley College dean who spent 20 years on the Palmdale school board.

Mayor Pro Tem Jim Root said he was impressed by Berg's reference to improving the city's east side, managing traffic and increasing employment as among his priorities, even though he will be representing the west side.

Councilman Richard Loa had originally backed former Planning Commissioner Avrum Harris, a deputy public defender, for the west Palmdale seat, but got no support from the other council members. He went along with the majority when Root nominated Berg.

Thompson will fill the seat vacated by gun shop owner Jeff Storm, who resigned to accept a seat in November on the Palmdale Water District board. Berg replaces Kirk Brungard, who was transferred by his employer.

The commission's first big task will be to consider a rewrite of city regulations on businesses that sell alcohol. The revisions were delayed after the vacancies appeared on the commission.

The applicants for the west Palmdale seat included former commissioners Jeanette Glozer and Patrick Hunt as well as Harris, Los Angeles County health official Raymond Johnson and retired Northrop Grumman planner Roy Pool.

Glozer, Hunt and Harris lost their commission seats in June after the council rearranged the panel to assign seats to different areas of the city. The move was intended to change the panel's preponderance of members from the west side, where Glozer, Hunt and Harris and a fourth commissioner all lived.

Thompson was appointed over citizen activist Gary Cope and William Hogrefe, Antelope Valley Chambers of Commerce chairman.

The appointments last through June 2006.

Berg has lived in the Antelope Valley for 19 years and raised a son and daughter. His daughter is now a guidance counselor at Palmdale High School.

``Now that my children are grown and my business is established, I feel it's my time to offer my services to the city,'' Berg said.

Thompson, Antelope Valley College's dean of social and behavioral sciences, has lived in the Antelope Valley since 1964. He left the Palmdale school board in 2001 after declining to seek re-election to a sixth term.

``I really enjoyed that; it was an opportunity to make a contribution to the community,'' Thompson said. ``Now I'm looking for another way to serve the community.''

Charles F. Bostwick, [phone]

chuck.bostwick(at)dailynews.com