Commentary: Lester’s firing is a great loss

In trying to present the argument for firing the Coastal Commission’s executive director, Charles Lester, David Hansen made a number of unsupported assumptions and presented conclusions that were not factually based (“Tiptoeing around panel shake-up,” Feb. 18).

First, he said the firing would likely result in hiring a new executive director “with more administrative chops” and will “bring much-needed professionalism to the commission,” according to Hansen’s unnamed “sources.”

I doubt that the columnist has sat down with Lester and interviewed him, as I have. The executive director had 19 years’ experience as an administrator with the commission, during which he was mentored by the legendary Peter Douglas, who hand-picked Lester as his successor in 2011.

Lester, who has a science degree from Columbia and law and Ph.D. degrees from UC Berkeley, knows the intricacies and complexities of the Coastal Act better than anyone I know. Implementing that law was his primary responsibility.

At the Morro Bay meeting where he was fired, Lester presented empirical evidence of the increased efficiencies, improved staff ethnic diversity, commission budget increase, and other metrics of agency progress under his nearly five-year tenure as director. Moreover, anyone knowledgeable about the staff knows that it is composed of highly educated professionals — policy specialists, lawyers and scientists, many of whom have graduate and professional degrees.

Second, Hansen said “most people love to hate the commission, and perhaps it’s because everyone resents its power.” Less hyperbole and more evidence please.

Opinion polls I have seen contradict this unfounded assumption. Moreover, the Coastal Commission received thousands of letters in Lester’s defense.

Third, the columnist called for a sharing of information, presumably meaning staff should tell commissioners in advance of a report what the document is likely to contain. Doing so would destroy staff independence because developer-influenced commissioners would pressure staffers to alter findings in favor of permit seekers.

Every one of Lester’s predecessors, for good reason, insisted on staff independence. Analogously, do we want Big Oil interacting with EPA researchers in advance of environmental impact reporting?

If an evidence-based case against Lester’s leadership could be made, I have not seen it in any newspaper.

The next time you visit Table Rock Beach or Crystal Cove, or walk the beach trail at The Strand, thank the Coastal Commission for requiring public access. Without Lester’s leadership, the citizenry will have to be extra vigilant to ensure open beaches, regulate development and protect coastal habitat. We have much work to do.

Osborne is writing a book on Peter Douglas’ leadership of the Coastal Commission. He lives in Laguna Beach.