Two new faces to join planners

Boulder City’s Planning Commission has two new members who will start their positions in January.

Beth Bonnar-Kaczmarski and Matt DiTeresa were appointed to the commission by City Council at its Tuesday, Dec. 10, meeting. They are replacing Fritz McDonald and Cokie Booth, whose terms expire Jan. 1.

“It’s an honor,” said DiTeresa about the appointment.

DiTeresa said he applied for the commission because he wanted to participate more in local government.

According to his volunteer data sheet, he is a retired operating engineer and was involved in maintenance and special projects with pools and spas at nine Las Vegas hotels. He has lived in Boulder City for 26 years.

DiTeresa is also a member of the city’s ad-hoc pool committee and said he would be resigning that position now that he is on the Planning Commission.

Bonnar-Kaczmarski said she wanted to be on the commission because she thought her experience with contracts and compliance could help the group and the community with enforcing current ordinances as well as modernizing some of them. She said she also likes the technical aspects of projects and is looking forward to delving into those.

“When I read, I like to read technical manuals,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to reading the current ordinances and where we are with them.”

She said she also wanted to provide a different perspective as a commissioner and is looking forward to reading the city’s master plan.

According to her volunteer data sheet, Bonnar-Kaczmarski is the vice president of finance and information technology for Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada. She has lived in Boulder City for seven years.

She was nominated by Mayor Kiernan McManus; Councilwoman Claudia Bridges nominated DiTeresa. A third person, Victor Thomas, was nominated by Councilman James Howard Adams. According to the agenda packet, McDonald was not interested in reappointment and Booth was but did not receive a nomination.

Bonnar-Kaczmarski received five votes, DiTeresa received four and Thomas received one.

DiTeresa and Bonnar-Kaczmarski are part of the Boulder City Community Alliance. DiTeresa is an administrator who took on the role after one of its founders, Tracy Folda, was appointed to City Council. Bonnar-Kaczmarski is a moderator for the group.

McManus, Adams and Bridges were all endorsed by the alliance during the 2019 election. McManus, Adams and Folda are still members of the group.

Contact reporter Celia Shortt Goodyear at cgoodyear@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9401. Follow her on Twitter @csgoodyear.