Illness Forces El Segundo Councilman to Step Down

El Segundo City Councilman Jim Clutter, who has been fighting cancer for a year, resigned Tuesday, saying his health no longer permits him to devote the time and energy required for the job.

The 60-year-old first-term councilman, who also works as a real estate salesman, has undergone periodic chemotherapy treatments since he was diagnosed with cancer of the lymph nodes in May, 1990. In August, Clutter took a leave of absence from the council, returning in January.

“I thought at that time I could carry on, but chemo has taken away most of my energy,” he said Wednesday. “I felt that it was not reasonable to continue (on the council) when I didn’t think I could do the job the way I thought it should be done.”

Expressing regret at Clutter’s departure, council members decided to appoint someone to serve out his term, which ends next April.

The council said it will accept applications for the post through June 14 and will interview candidates June 17. It is possible that a new member will be seated at the next council meeting on June 18.

A retired airline passenger agent, Clutter was elected to the council in 1988 and became active in the city’s fight against noise from Los Angeles International Airport and odors from the Hyperion Sewage Treatment Plant.

He said his biggest contribution to the city was also one that provoked the most argument.

He proposed the “Unsafe Area for Jets” sign the city put up facing the airport in December, 1988, to discourage departing aircraft from making early turns over the city.

The sign was called childish by the Federal Aviation Administration, but Clutter said it prompted the airport to “listen to our complaints” about noise and to experiment with new takeoff procedures that send planes farther offshore before turning. City officials covered the sign last fall to indicate that they were pleased with the airport’s effort to reduce noise.

Clutter said he will continue selling real estate, although he has had to cut his workload in half.

“I was doing what I could in real estate, what I could on the council and what I could with my family,” he said. “I’ve also had to have additional rest with chemo. Something had to give.”