CEO Keeps El Toro Duties--for Now

County Chief Executive Officer Jan Mittermeier on Tuesday survived an attempt to remove her as leader of the team working to convert the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station into a commercial airport.

But that decision came after a debate so heated that the chairman of the Board of Supervisors at one point slammed his gavel, ordered Sheriff Brad Gates to sit down and told Supervisor Todd Spitzer to end his remarks.

In the end, the supervisors postponed until next week a more significant closed-door session in which they will discuss possibly disciplining Mittermeier or reducing her powers.

Tuesday’s discussion focused on a proposal by Supervisor Thomas W. Wilson to have the officials drafting plans for an airport at El Toro to report directly to the Board of Supervisors rather than to Mittermeier.

That proposal stemmed from Mittermeier’s refusal to provide Wilson with information about El Toro-related lobbying trips planned by county officials. Wilson and Spitzer, who both oppose the airport plan, blasted her for refusing to turn over the documents.

Wilson said Tuesday that the board should have a more hands-on role in the development of the base, because no other project is as divisive and crucial to the county’s long-term economic future.

“This is not the kind of issue we should delegate,” he said. “This is not about micromanaging. It’s about accountability.”

Spitzer reluctantly supported Wilson’s proposal. But he stressed that El Toro is just one of many issues that requires greater scrutiny from the board.

“I was elected by more than 100,000 people,” he said. “The CEO was elected by no one.”

But the three other supervisors--all of whom support the airport plan--came to Mittermeier’s defense and rejected Wilson’s plan as unworkable.

“I can’t think of a more destructive way to chew up staff time than reporting to five supervisors,” said Board Chairman William G. Steiner.

Supervisor Charles V. Smith said the CEO “was doing an outstanding job” and that she was simply following the instructions of the board majority by pursuing the airport plan.

Added Supervisor Jim Silva: “She has done an outstanding job keeping the board informed about El Toro. I have meetings with her two to three times a week, and she’s always available to answer my questions.”

If Tuesday’s debate is any indication, the board should expect a lengthy closed-door meeting next week to discuss Mittermeier’s job performance.

Spitzer offered a preview Tuesday, listing “a whole smorgasbord of incidents” in which he accused Mittermeier of withholding important information from the board. Among other things, he complained that she failed to relay information the Sheriff’s Department gave her about problems in the county’s housing department.

Gates, a supporter of Mittermeier who was sitting in the audience, rose to dispute some of Spitzer’s assertion, accusing the supervisor of “taking things out of context” and “wanting to make headlines.”

A few minutes later, Steiner banged his gavel and said tersely: “That’s enough.”

He told Gates to take his seat and Spitzer to end his comments.