CALIFORNIA IN BRIEF : SAN FRANCISCO : Forest Service Hiring Under Fire by Judge

A federal judge threatened to appoint a court administrator to make all personnel decisions for the U.S. Forest Service in California, which is under a longstanding court order to hire and promote more women. In scolding tones, U.S. District Judge Samuel Conti gave the agency until Sept. 20 to cooperate with a court monitor compiling a report on compliance with a consent decree stemming from a 1973 discrimination suit. “You’re probably hiring people now who weren’t born when this case was filed,” Conti chided. “I’m getting sick and tired of the foot-dragging by the Forest Service. When you people entered into this contract, you agreed to do 1, 2, and 3 and you are not doing it. This is an affront to the court.” A Justice Department lawyer representing the Forest Service told reporters that the agency “is in substantial compliance.” But Conti accused the Forest Service of not acting in good faith, and threatened to order the secretary of agriculture and the Forest Service chief to explain why he should not appoint a personnel administrator.