El Segundo Councilman Hit by Conflict Charge : Politics: City Councilman Alan West is accused of violating conflict of interest laws but he is not alone. Councilman H. R. (Bob) Anderson already faces an inquiry in a separate

El Segundo City Councilman Alan West has been accused of voting on city-sponsored improvements and promotions for the downtown business district, where he owns commercial property.

The conflict charges were filed this week with the state Fair Political Practices Commission by Helen Armstrong, the widow of former mayor Charles Armstrong. Armstrong, whom West helped defeat in a bitter election four years ago, died in July of cancer.

West is up for reelection in April.

The conflict allegations against West cover 10 of his council votes between March, 1987, and March, 1989. One matter involves the landscaping and lighting last year of a city parking lot that West says is less than 300 feet from a Main Street art supply store owned by West and his wife.

State law requires that a public official refrain from participating in decisions affecting his financial interest. The law presumes that a property is materially affected if it is within 300 feet of the property that is the subject of the decision.

According to council minutes included in Armstrong’s filing, all but one of the votes relate to two downtown parking lots--including the one across the street from West’s store--and to operations of Downtown El Segundo Inc., a city-funded group that promotes downtown business.

West called Armstrong’s charges “an oddball, weird interpretation of the (conflict) law during an election time.” He said his votes relating to downtown were on matters of general benefit, which he did not view as a conflict, adding that political enemies are trying to discredit him with things that happened some time ago.

West is the second El Segundo councilman in two months to be accused of conflict before the FPPC.

In January, 10 charges were filed against Councilman H. R. (Bob) Anderson over his participation in council votes and discussions relating to Chevron U.S.A., while owning company stock valued at about $470,000. Anderson, a West ally, denied the charges, which he also termed politically motivated.

Anderson, whose term is up in April, filed for reelection, but later withdrew from the race, citing health problems.

West and Anderson were elected in a bitter contest four years ago, defeating Armstrong and Councilwoman Lee Synadinos.

Calling her husband’s defeat a “fearful situation,” Helen Armstrong said Wednesday it prompted her to watch West. She asserted that the conflict issue has been “raised frequently” with West, adding, “It was time to put it down on a piece of paper and send it in.”