Appointments Signal Shake-Up by Riordan

In an effort to jump-start his fledgling Administration, Mayor Richard Riordan announced a host of new appointments to city commissions Tuesday in what amounted to a significant staffing shake-up.

The bulk of the new commissioners were named to fill terms that automatically expired July 1, but Riordan also juggled the members of some panels that have strayed from his philosophies.

Top Riordan aides downplayed the importance of the shifts--Riordan adviser William Wardlaw called the changes “fine-tuning”--but others close to the mayor said Riordan has been displeased with the decisions of some of the volunteer boards and the slow pace that some have taken in implementing his business-oriented agenda.

“He’s giving the Administration a new life,” said one Riordan confidante. “He’s looking at people’s strengths and weaknesses and making adjustments.”

Among the transfers: Steven J. Silberman is being moved from the Recreation and Parks Commission to the lesser-known Board of Pension Commissioners. Frank Cardenas, a World Cup executive, will go from the Community Redevelopment Agency to a full-time position with the Board of Public Works, replacing Percy Duran.

Harbor Commissioner Steven L. Soboroff, president of Big Brothers of Greater Los Angeles, will move to the Recreation and Parks Commission. Transportation Commission President Sherri Franklin was transferred to the Rent Adjustment Commission.

The only newcomers Riordan announced Tuesday were investment banker Jonathan Y. Thomas and health plan administrator Leland Wong, who were both named to the Harbor Commission. Riordan reappointed about two dozen commissioners to their current posts--a diverse group that includes a female rabbi, a rocket scientist, a librarian and a former military adviser to President George Bush. The mayor expects to announce more appointments in the coming days.

“The mayor has had a year now to articulate his goals,” said Riordan spokesman David Novak. “The commissioners are an important part of that. The mayor is fortunate there is such a diverse pool of people to choose from.”

Like all Los Angeles mayors, Riordan derives much of his power from the appointments of the part-time commissioners. There are close to 50 commissions in all and they oversee everything from police policies to the firing of city workers.

The commissioners wield considerable clout and can set the tone of a mayoral administration. In the mid-1980s, when former Mayor Tom Bradley wanted to change course, he asked all his commissioners to resign and appointed new ones.

Riordan’s commission appointments carry with them political implications on the 15-member City Council, which must confirm the appointments before they become final.

With such selections, there are inevitably questions about ethnic and racial diversity and council members typically push for commissioners who reside in their districts.

The appointment of Wong to the Harbor Commission came after Riordan heard criticism that the commission, which deals with many Pacific Rim countries, lacked any Asian American members.

But the appointment irritated Councilman Rudy Svorinich, who supported Wong’s predecessor, Wilmington neighborhood activist Gertrude Schwab.

“We are disappointed that the mayor has reneged on his commitment to appoint community people from Wilmington and San Pedro to the Harbor Commission,” said Tom Kruesopon, Svorinich’s spokesman.

In making his original commission appointments, a process that stretched on for months, Riordan sought to bring in business-minded outsiders who would question many of the fundamental assumptions of City Hall. But at the same time, he did not want commissioners to take over the jobs of the full-time department managers by delving into the nitty-gritty.

The Civil Service Commission, which reviews disciplinary cases, is one body that has been accused of micro-managing. It caused concern among Riordan aides this spring when it voted to reinstate a gardener who had been fired for doing private gardening work during the workday.

Riordan supported the general manager’s dismissal of the worker and said he intended to speak to commissioners about their proper role in disciplinary cases. The commission’s decision was set aside by the council.

One of the commissioners who voted to overrule the firing, attorney Nancy Zamora, has been told she will be transferred to another position, although the post has not been announced. Although she has not been given a reason, she considers the move a step up.

“They are moving people based on their skills,” Zamora said.

The last year has seen a number of staffing changes in Riordan’s office.

Deputy Mayor Jadine Nielsen, who managed Riordan’s campaign, resigned early on, and Deputy Mayor Al Villalobos followed when questions were raised about his private business dealings. A handful of other top staffers, many of them holdovers from Riordan’s campaign, have also left for new positions.

“The structure of the mayor’s office is like the city itself--dynamic,” said Deputy Mayor Robin Kramer. “This is natural growth.”