The Peninsula Community Planning Board (PCPB) appointed Su-hail Khalil over four other candidates at its June 17 meeting to fill a vacancy left by the surprise resignation of a sitting board member. Khalil received seven votes — more than half of the 12 total board votes. “I want to thank all my supporters and PCPB for conducting a fair and honorable election to fill its vacant seat,” Khalil said. “I look forward to serving out the remainder of Dr. (Matthew) Sanicki’s term and wish him well in his future endeavors.” Sanicki’s resignation was announced at the board’s May meeting. He cited increased office hours that would conflict with his attendance of future PCPB meetings. Khalil, who served on the PCPB from 2007 until the recent elections, will serve out Sanicki’s term through 2012. After the board elected Khalil, numerous audience members expressed frustration with the appointment process, which several attendees said disenfranchised voters by putting the power with board members instead of the electorate. The sentiments were similar to those expressed during an extended debate May 20, in which board and audience members weighed in with interpretations of the PCPB’s bylaws governing appointment versus general election. Khalil’s appointment came after a general election and three subsequent runoffs in March and April. Each of the five candidates for Sanicki’s seat was given five minutes to speak at the June 17 meeting and Norman Allenby, who also ran in the recent PCPB general elections, received the next-highest number of votes with four. The other vote went to Patti Rank, while no one voted for John Koufoudakis or Cynthia Conger. “I am committed to public outreach, government transparency and accountability to ensure our quality of life,” Khalil said. “I will continue those efforts I initiated in 2007 for the greater good of our community.”