Appointment policy may face changes

Deirdre Newman

A City Council majority agreed Monday that individual members should

not have the power to appoint their own commissioners, bowing to

pressure from residents concerned about possible cronyism.

The council will hold a special meeting next week to consider

changing the law and council policy regarding the selection of

commissioners back to the former process. Council members will also

try to agree upon an orderly voting process to use if they make the

switch.

In March 2003, the council altered the procedures, going from

having the entire council vote on commissioners to individual council

members appointing their own commissioners.

The council selects five planning commissioners and five parks and

recreation commissioners.

The change of heart came because some residents started

complaining soon after the process was changed in 2003 that it

enabled cronyism. That criticism echoed throughout council chambers

Monday.

“I think it’s easier for us to make individual appointments, but I

think we need to rise above that and listen to what the public has to

say,” Councilman Allan Mansoor said. “We need to put the public’s

interest and trust first.”

The desire for a procedure to follow if the entire council votes

on the commissioners stems from the chaos that occurred four years

ago during the voting process. Returning Councilwoman Linda Dixon,

who was on the council at the time, characterized it as a debacle

because there was no predesignated method enabling council members to

recommend commissioners for the rest of the council to vote on.

“Four years ago was a disaster, a fiasco,” Dixon said. “It was one

of the most embarrassing nights of my life. If we are going back, I

would hope the entire City Council interviews everyone.”

But all the council members did not agree that interviews by the

entire council are necessary. Mayor Gary Monahan said he would feel

more comfortable interviewing some of the applicants he doesn’t know

on his own time.

And Katrina Foley, a former planning commissioner, and Dixon

disagreed that returning to the former process is a good move. They

said they did not see any flaws in the current process of individual

council members making appointments.

“I believe the Planning Commission has been an independent body

despite the City Council appointees,” Foley said. “I certainly was

independent and did not call [the council member who appointed me] to

get approval on every item.”

Some residents agreed that the current process was worth keeping

around.

“Why you would want to cut your own power and make yourself

eunuchs -- excuse me, ladies -- is beyond me,” Martin Millard said.

Council members will have the option Monday of passing an

emergency law changing the process if they can get four votes in

approval. This would enable the change to go into effect right away

instead of waiting for the standard 30-day period after the second

reading of a law.

* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers government. She may be reached at (714)

966-4623 or by e-mail at [email protected].