Council Approves Special Election for Card Club

The City Council has voted 3-2 to hold a special election on a proposed card club, but the decisive vote came from a council member who was warned that he might have a conflict of interest.

Councilman Ken Cleveland said he decided to vote Monday despite warnings from the city attorney and Fair Political Practices Commission over two potential conflicts--Cleveland’s business ties with one of the casino’s backers, and the location of his muffler shop near the site of the proposed casino.

“I’ve searched my soul, big time,” Cleveland said. “And I just don’t think there is a problem.” Cleveland said he resolved the potential conflict Friday when he sold his muffler shop near the proposed casino site.

The council approved a special election for Aug. 10 after listening to two hours of often emotional comments from casino supporters and opponents.

Cleveland, Mayor Bob Stone and Councilman Bill Pendleton voted for the ordinance, saying voters have the right to decide the issue. Council members Ruth Gilson and John Ansdell opposed the election.

On Tuesday, Gilson said she has requested an FPPC investigation of Cleveland’s vote. If the commission determines that Cleveland had a conflict, it could seek a court order nullifying the council vote.

Casino backers, however, said that the potential for conflict was averted by the councilman’s decision to sell the muffler shop and a last-minute revision in the casino proposal.

Part of Cleveland’s possible conflict stemmed from his business ties with Virginia Boggs, one of 18 partners in the Cougar Club Limited, which is proposing the casino.

Cleveland’s muffler shop is in an auto center owned by Boggs. Cleveland and Boggs at one time were partners in the auto center as well, but Cleveland said he sold his interest last fall.

On Friday, Cleveland also sold the Midas Muffler store to former City Councilwoman Carolyn Stanaland, mother of principal Cougar Club partner, Jack Stanaland. Cleveland said the transaction was not connected to the casino proposal, adding only that “it was time to move on.”

Carolyn Stanaland could not be reached for comment.

Then, just hours before Monday’s vote, Cougar Club partners altered their election proposal to delete any reference to a casino site. The original proposal had listed a 10-acre site near Lakewood and Artesia boulevards, south of the Artesia Freeway (91). The proposed site would have been within 500 feet of the muffler shop, which could have created a conflict.

Under the amended proposal, the casino could be located anywhere in the city.

“There’s no location now for the club, so there is no conflict of interest,” Boggs said. “That’s why we changed it. Nobody wants to buy a problem.”

Cleveland said he consulted on Friday and Monday with FPPC officials.

“I told them on Monday that the property was sold, but they said there was still a possibility of conflict because I got income out of this property,” Cleveland said. “But that shop was never a money-maker, it was a drain. And when I sold it, I made nothing besides my original investment. That’s it.”

Cleveland did not disclose the sale price.

The council’s approval was considered crucial for casino supporters. A majority of voters must approve a card club. Casino proponents also could have launched a drive to gather signatures to force a referendum, but said they probably would have dropped the issue if the council had turned down their request for an election. The Cougar Club partners said they would pay for a special election, which would cost an estimated $40,000.

The possibility that council members could benefit from their vote was raised during the hearing Monday night. At one point, Mayor Stone interrupted the debate to declare that he was not an investor in the casino, nor would he ever be.

Other council members except Bill Pendleton made similar declarations. Pendleton said he is not an investor in the proposed casino, but might become one after he leaves the council. He said after the meeting that he has an open invitation to join investors in the Cougar Club.

Most other citizens who spoke at the council meeting voiced concerns that a casino would bring prostitution, drugs and crime into their city. Of about 200 people in the audience, about 12 spoke in favor of the card club and 20 were opposed.

“I see my peers succumb to graffiti, gangs and drive-by shootings,” said teen-ager Andrew Pruter. “And I don’t think the city of Bellflower needs another vice. How could gambling help the morality or the minds of youth like me?”

While Pruter received a standing ovation from half the crowd, Stone told the audience that a card club could help increase city revenues and city services.

“Your trees are overgrown because we can’t afford to trim them. Your streets are filled with potholes because we can’t fix them,” Stone said. “If you turn this down, I guarantee you this City Council will come to you asking which park you want us to close, how many deputies you want us to let go.”

Casino proponents have estimated they could bring $10 million in revenue annually to this city.