Panel Hopes to Make 2 City Jobs Appointive

A newly established citizens committee will campaign citywide for charter amendments that would make the city attorney and city treasurer posts appointive rather than elective.

City Planning Commissioner Tom Livengood, who co-chairs the Huntington Beach Good Government Committee with former mayor Grace Winchell, said residents would be better served by appointed officials.

The City Council recently approved placing two charter amendments on the March 26 ballot that would empower the city administrator to make the appointments, subject to final approval by the City Council.

Livengood said a 17-member steering committee is already in place and has about 50 supporters to date.

“We’re going to be speaking to civic groups--showing the pros and cons--and [will] raise money to send out a mailer,” Livengood said. “We’re running it as a campaign.”

City Atty. Gail C. Hutton, who has held the job for 17 years, opposes the move to make her office appointive. Recently retired Treasurer Donald L. Watson, however, supports the change. City Finance Director Dan Villella is expected to be appointed as interim treasurer by the council next week.

There have been four previous attempts to make the positions appointive. Each time, voters rejected the idea. But Livengood said committee members believe there is now strong community sentiment to make the switch.

“There’s just a growing group of people who think it’s time,” he said, noting the county’s bankruptcy.

The committee believes appointing the treasurer and city attorney would make them more accountable and more efficient, Livengood said.

He added that of the more than 400 city attorneys statewide, only a handful are elected.

“The vast majority are appointed or contracted, and there’s a reason for it,” he said. “Over 400 cities have set an example and we should examine it.”