LOCAL ELECTIONS / LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL : Candidate Accused of Ethics Violations

Planning Commission Chairman Jim Serles accepted campaign contributions from developers and realtors then voted in favor of their projects in apparent violation of the state Political Reform Act, according to documents provided by his opponent in the City Council race.

The Long Beach City Council has authorized the hiring of a special investigator to review allegations leveled against Serles by his opponent, Doug Drummond, a retired Long Beach police commander. Both candidates are vying for the 3rd District seat being vacated by Councilwoman Jan Hall.

A list of Serles’ campaign contributions and copies of Planning Commission minutes gathered by Drummond show Serles voted on four projects after receiving contributions of $250 or more within a year of the votes.

Under state law, planning commissioners must disqualify themselves from voting on an issue if within the past year they have received campaign contributions of $250 or more from anyone with a financial interest in that issue.

“In my opinion, he is picking the pockets of the developers,” Drummond charged. “It is flagrant disregard for the law.”

In a prepared statement, Serles said: “I have 25 years of public service and a strong commitment to making Long Beach a better city. For Drummond to imply that I am beholden to developers is outrageous and untrue.”

Serles dismissed the allegations as “last-minute campaign rhetoric” in Drummond’s “desperate” attempt to win the race. He failed to respond to further questions about Drummond’s allegations.

According to the documents:

* In October, Serles voted in favor of a two-unit condominium requested by developer Dale Robinson, four months after he accepted a $750 campaign contribution from the developer.

* In October, Serles voted in favor of building 51 townhouse units at 3000 Pacific Avenue, four months after accepting a $600 contribution from Larry Agajanian, who owns the property.

* In November, Serles voted in favor of expanding the Belmonte restaurant on 2nd Street, five months after he accepted a $300 contribution from the restaurant’s owner, Frank Pocino.

* In December, Serles voted to delay a decision on whether to develop the Pacific Electric right of way, one of the cities’ most controversial development projects. The vote came six months after he accepted a $1,000 campaign contribution from developer Robert Kendrick, who owns the property. The developer was not opposed to the delay.

Drummond also charges that Serles violated state law that prohibits campaign contributions in excess of $1,000 when he accepted free office space to set up his campaign headquarters at 5353 E. 2nd Street in Belmont Shore.

Real estate businessman Greg Cutuli donated the space from October through December, which Serles reported as being worth $900. Another donation of the same space was made by Leonard Cutuli, his brother, for just under two months, which Serles reported was worth $600.

Drummond charges that the property was undervalued, and was actually worth $1,660 the first time and $1,027 the second. He said the higher figures were quoted him when he called inquiring about renting the space.

Greg Cutuli said in an interview that the office was vacant for 2 1/2 years and was donated as a campaign headquarters in hopes of increasing the building’s visibility.

“It was a business decision to have somebody in here as opposed to nobody in here,” he said, adding that he considered the space to be worth $300 a month. Its fair market value today would be “negotiable,” he said.