Embattled Ventura Port Commissioner Tries to Placate Officials

Robert (Nick) Starr, who has come under fire for failing to disclose his involvement in a 24-year-old bribery case, has written a letter of conciliation to the Ventura City Council and his fellow commissioners at the Ventura Port District.

The three-page letter, which was mailed to commissioners Wednesday, urges that “parties put aside their differences and begin the healing process.”

Several City Council members and port commissioners have called for the 59-year-old property manager to quit, but his letter states:

“I believe my experience and business acumen will become a valuable asset to the district. Therefore, I have no intention of submitting my resignation.”

When the City Council appointed Starr to the commission in June, council members said they did not know that he had been convicted in 1968 of bribe-taking while he was a Los Angeles Harbor commissioner. The conviction was later overturned on appeal.

Since the case became public about three weeks ago, some members of the Port Commission and the City Council have sharply criticized Starr for not volunteering the information on his application papers or during interviews with city officials. Wednesday’s meeting was the first Port Commission meeting since the case came to light.

In his letter, Starr wrote, “Had I to do it over again, I certainly would have disclosed any and everything that might have been considered a possible concern about my appointment.”

In an interview Wednesday, Starr said, “I’m trying to soothe this whole thing over.”

Starr said he did not say anything about the felony conviction because he assumed that the council had done a background check on him and already knew about it.

“I felt that it would be picked up and maybe I would be asked about it,” Starr said. When council members did not bring up the topic, he assumed that they thought it was irrelevant, Starr said.

Starr said he plans to drop his lawsuit against Commission Chairman Richard Hambleton. Starr has sued Hambleton for slander, alleging that he told a city councilman that Starr is a convicted felon.

A Ventura County judge has refused to issue an order restraining Hambleton from making slanderous remarks.

Hambleton said he is considering quitting because of tension with Starr over the issue. Harbor Manager Richard Parsons has said at least one other commissioner is considering resigning.

“This peace offering is well and fine, but it’s not up to the commission” to decide whether to remove Starr, Hambleton said in an interview Wednesday after reviewing the letter.

Councilman Jack Tingstrom, a Starr supporter, sent a letter to the five port commissioners on Tuesday asking them to declare a six-month moratorium on their differences.

“It is my hope that this will give you enough time to see that Mr. Starr is qualified to be a member of the commission,” Tingstrom wrote.

Hambleton said he feels that Tingstrom’s suggestion of a cooling-off period is not appropriate.

“What still remains is the question about propriety, and specifically, how that can affect the credibility and integrity of the Ventura Port District,” Hambleton said.

Councilwoman Cathy Bean, who has called for Starr to resign, said Starr’s letter has not changed the situation. If Starr had graciously resigned when the case became public, “that would have shown real interest in the community,” Bean said.

Now it is too late to ignore the issue and it should be aired publicly, Bean said.

“I think we set a path to follow and we have to follow it,” she said, referring to Councilman Gary Tuttle’s decision to place the issue on next Monday’s agenda for discussion.

The council is scheduled to vote on whether to direct the city attorney to start preparing a case for Starr’s removal, a process that could take up to two months.

Starr said that if the City Council removes him on the grounds of failing to disclose the case, he will challenge it in court.