Local News in Brief : Countywide : Vasquez Disavows Idea of Packing Growth Panel

Supervisor Gaddi H. Vasquez distanced himself Monday from a now-defunct idea by a fellow supervisor to add supervisor members to a citizen committee studying growth management.

The idea, broached last week by Supervisors Chairman Harriett M. Wieder, then abandoned by her Sunday, was to have added three supervisors to a panel created in the spring to prepare a growth-management plan for new development in the county in the event that the slow-growth initiative was defeated at the polls or in the courts.

Wieder suggested Friday that she, Vasquez and Supervisor Thomas F. Riley join the committee so the board would be prepared to implement the plan when it was completed by the committee.

Wieder’s proposal drew immediate criticism from leaders of the slow-growth measure that failed at the polls last week. They said she was trying to gut the committee’s work.

“The intent (of Wieder) was to add another dimension to the committee, and it was well intentioned,” Vasquez said Monday. “It is my belief the committee shall sustain its independence.”

Vasquez said he would rather have the committee complete its work and then have the Board of Supervisors evaluate its final report.

“This entire program (to add supervisors to the committee) was initiated by the chairman’s office, and I expressed concern,” he said.

“Usually when you name appointees, you do so because you have confidence in their abilities, and you know that you will eventually have the ultimate say over their decisions.”