Recall Group in Santa Ana to Meet With Councilmen

At the urging of a Cypress city councilman, Santa Ana council members said Thursday that they will meet next week with leaders of a group threatening to recall them.

At a press conference in his office, Mayor Daniel E. Griset said there will be a “mutual discussion of the issues” between council members and the coalition of citizens groups angered by a variety of city policies.

The meetings were arranged by Cypress Councilman John Kanel, who said in a phone interview that he decided to try to get the two sides together since he knows both Griset and Jim Lowman, an insurance executive who is heading the proposed recall.

‘Seemed a Little Hasty’

“It seemed to me that things were getting out of hand in Santa Ana,” Kanel said. “When I saw that Jim and his group wanted to recall all seven council members, well, that seemed a little hasty. In fact, it’s a little absurd. . . . To me, that would just end up tearing apart the city.”

After speaking with Lowman and making a few phone calls Wednesday, Kanel arranged for the two sides to meet for a “round-table” discussion next Friday.

Lowman, appearing at the press conference, termed Griset’s offer to discuss the issues a “victory,” adding: “This certainly is a sign of responsiveness and we’re going to grab it.”

The citizens pushing for a recall call their group SAMSON--or the Santa Ana Merged Society of Neighbors. The coalition consists of several groups protesting city policies ranging from redevelopment projects to Fire Department personnel issues.

Variety of Complaints

Other members include opponents of a plan to demolish Santa Ana Stadium for the proposed Westdome sports arena, opponents of the North Central Santa Ana Traffic Plan designed to reduce commuter traffic in that area--a group which includes Lowman--and residents of the Centennial Park area who oppose a plan to construct an $11-million stadium there.

At a press conference last Saturday, SAMSON members also said they wanted the city to implement a system in which council members would be elected by wards. Currently, each council member represents a separate area but is elected by a citywide vote. Also, SAMSON members are seeking direct election of Santa Ana’s mayor, who is presently elected by council members.

Lowman wouldn’t comment on whether these issues will be discussed at next week’s meeting tentatively set for Willowick Golf Course, but he stressed that SAMSON is not backing away from the threatened recall. Still, Lowman admitted that some momentum may be lost if any of the groups work out their differences while others remain at odds with council members.

Plan Remains in Force

“We may lose some people in the process,” Lowman said, adding that the group still plans to send about 300 people door-to-door next month in an effort to raise the required 10,500 signatures to force a recall.

On the other side, Griset said the upcoming meeting doesn’t mean council members fear a recall or that Santa Ana’s aggressive redevelopment policies will be slowed down. “My willingness to meet with Jim at John Kanel’s behest does not relate to any personal concerns about a recall,” he said.

The mayor attempted to play down the redevelopment issue, noting: “The message to the council 15 years ago was ‘clean up downtown.’ Since that time and with the help of redevelopment to break the gridlock, we’ve nearly eliminated the flophouses, blood banks, pawnshops and places for transients and derelicts to live. . . . Downtown’s coming alive again.”

While SAMSON members may view the council as “being arbitrary and insensitive to the citizens,” Griset said the council in reality is simply very busy. “If there’s a problem,” he said, “maybe it’s a match of time and communication. It’s an enormously busy city and we’re supposed to be part-time (officials).”

Councilman Robert Luxembourger, who will meet with SAMSON members along with Griset and Vice Mayor P. Lee Johnson, said he would be willing to try to work out the issues that separate the two sides. However, he said he doesn’t fear a recall.

“If they think they can worry me, they’re wrong,” Luxembourger said. “Even if they succeed, I don’t care. I’ll go fishing.”