(July 18, 2003) -- Lewis Lester, the no-nonsense former chair of the Central Redevelopment Project Area Committee, has been elected to membership on the PAC -- and was elected the PAC's Vice-Chair (missing Chair by just two votes) -- at the PAC's July 17 meeting.

Mr. Lester indicated at the end of the meeting (in the period for non-agendized items) that next week he will launch a campaign to stop the merger of all Redevelopment Project Areas being pursued by city staff.

"It will be a very public campaign and it will be a negative campaign. But, we will stop the merger," Mr. Lester vowed.

Developing.

The PAC took no action on Redevelopment Agency Board nominations. The item was agendized but not discussed, with the outgoing chair preferring to put it over to the PAC's August meeting.