Possible Conflicts of Interest Stymie Council

Conflict of interest concerns quieted Port Hueneme government last week after two city councilmen and one planning commissioner were advised not to discuss a proposed beach-area development.

The complex development plan, known as Surfside Village Annex, involves building 30 condominiums on land occupied by the Veterans of Foreign Wars post on Surfside Drive. The VFW has been forced to move because it has inadequate parking.

After it was learned that Mayor Dorill Wright, Councilman Ken Hess and Planning Commissioner Gary Songer all live within 2,500 feet of the project, the city attorney advised the three not even to ask questions about the development during a council meeting.

At the Nov. 21 council meeting, City Atty. Don G. Kircher will give an opinion on whether the three would have any direct or indirect financial gain if the project is approved. If they do, they would be prohibited from participating in decisions affecting the project.

To further complicate matters, Hess and Songer also are VFW members, along with Councilman Jim Daniels.

Kircher said he believed that being VFW members would not restrict them from voting under conflict-of-interest and ethics laws.

But if being VFW members were interpreted as restricting participation, as many as three council members--Wright, Hess and Daniels--might have to abstain from voting on the project. That would leave only two council members.

“Those situations periodically arise,” Kircher said, adding that he does not foresee governmental gridlock.

Although Community Development Director Tom Figg, coordinator of the condominium project, was sympathetic to the city attorney’s concerns, he noted: “You can’t render a political body totally helpless.”