RESPONSE TO REPORT : COURSES OK’D FOR CULTURAL AFFAIRS HEAD

In response to a report strongly critical of the personnel practices and policies of the Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, a city council committee Wednesday approved a list of management training courses that it wants the department’s head to take “to enhance his communication, conflict management and interpersonal skills.”

The list, which contains such courses as “Improving Your Management Effectiveness,” was compiled for Fred Croton, who has been in charge of the Cultural Affairs Department since 1981, and before that had a similar job for five years as executive director of the Bronx Council on the Arts in New York.

The Personnel and Labor Relations Committee approved the list--which awaits final approval by the full City Council--that was put together and recommended to the committee by the city’s Personnel Department. That department conducted the 11-month investigation resulting in the 50-page report.

The inquiry, ordered by the City Council in May, 1985, was prompted by the March, 1985, termination of Rod Sakai, who was given one day’s notice after working for the city on cultural projects for nearly eight years. Sakai, a Japanese-American, alleged ethnic discrimination and claimed that Croton had been arbitrary in his treatment of employees.

The report found no specific evidence of discrimination, but did cite “widespread dissatisfaction” and “a high level of distrust” among Culture Affairs Department employees. The report made three recommendations to the City Council and Wednesday’s action signified the preliminary adoption of all three. The other two were approved in a June 11 committee meeting.

Though both Councilmen Marvin Braude and Joel Wachs were absent from Wednesday’s meeting, Councilwoman Joy Picus, committee chairwoman, quickly approved the list. She said the roster of nine training programs, which includes one-day to two-week seminars varying in cost from $95 to $2,295 “looks really quite interesting.” The programs are offered locally through UCLA Extension and four other institutions.

Croton, who was instructed by the committee to work with the Personnel Department in his course selection, said after the meeting, “I’m prepared to get this going as fast as possible.” Croton said he expects to have made his choices by the end of next week.

“The courses look useful,” said Croton, who had first seen the list two days before. “I think there will be a real possibility for my involvement. But size is critical. I want to participate in a seminar small enough so that I can learn some practical strategies for the various problems that have been identified.”

Picus said after the meeting that she thinks Croton will take about two courses.

The committee Wednesday also again considered the addition of an administrative assistant to Croton’s staff. Croton had asked for the added help--so that problems in the Cultural Affairs Department wouldn’t “fall through the cracks”--during the committee’s meeting held earlier in the month. At that time, the matter was referred to the City Administrator’s Office.

However, “personnel changes,” now in process at the Cultural Affairs Department have made it difficult for the Administrator’s Office to determine the need for an additional staff member, Picus said, thus precluding her committee’s approval of the matter until more information from the office is made available. Croton said later that those personnel changes included “some employee retirements,” and that he will continue to work with the office on the matter.

Croton also said that he is working to implement the first recommendation made in the Personnel Department’s report, which suggests he improve communications within his department. However he objected to the second recommendation--as he had in the earlier committee meeting--that he “desist from behavior or comments that might reasonably be construed as inconsistent with the city’s policies of equal-employment opportunity and non-discrimination.”

Observations regarding his conduct cited in the report “have never been corroborated,” Croton said.

However, Picus and Wachs have determined that the recommendation must stay, as the report provided confidentiality to those who responded to its questionnaire and those interviewed.

The committee also made definite a tentative recommendation that the Personnel Department follow up and report on the performance of the Cultural Affairs Department regarding the three recommendations made to Croton. It further determined that the reports be considered when Croton is evaluated for his fiscal year 1986-87 merit pay.

Steven Lipman, an aide to Picus, was unable to predict when the committee’s actions will go before the City Council for final approval.