Alicia Kae Herries to run for City Council

<p>A Petaluma Planning Commissioner is the first person to announce a candidacy for a seat on the Petaluma City Council.</p><p>Alicia Kae Herries will run for one of three seats on the November ballot.</p><p>The terms of Tiffany Renee, Gabe Kearney and Mike Healy expire at the end of this year. None of them have announced if they will seek reelection, although Kearney has said he intends to.</p><p>Herries, 42, was appointed to the commission in 2010 and her term runs through June 2014.</p><p>Candidates for council cannot officially take out papers from the city's elections officer until July 16. They have until Aug. 10 to return their nomination forms, or five additional days if any of the incumbents do not seek reelection.</p><p>Herries is an executive coordinator at BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., a Novato-based company that develops biopharmaceuticals for medical use.</p><p>She has been involved with the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women, Rebuilding Together, the Petaluma Downtown Association, Petaluma River cleanup efforts, Friends of the Petaluma River, Mentor Me Petaluma and Save Shollenberger Park.</p><p>She organized opposition to the controversial El Rose medical building project and worked against the East Washington Place shopping center before being appointed to the planning board.</p><p>-- Lori A. Carter</p>