Two Supervisors Challenge CEO on El Toro Push

County Chief Executive Officer Jan Mittermeier touched off a political battle Friday after pointedly rejecting a request by Supervisor Thomas W. Wilson to provide a schedule of upcoming lobbying trips by officials on behalf of a commercial airport at the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station.

Wilson and Supervisor Todd Spitzer, both opponents of the airport, immediately charged that Mittermeier was overstepping her bounds and refusing to give public information to her bosses.

Wilson called for the Board of Supervisors to strip Mittermeier of her responsibilities for overseeing El Toro planning.

“This . . . just confirms the perception that the CEO is indeed in control of the Board of Supervisors, and this simply can’t continue,” he said.

Spitzer went further, saying: “This is a cavalier attitude. . . . She exudes an arrogance of power.”

The dispute highlights the sometimes touchy relationship between the board and Mittermeier, who was given unprecedented authority to run day-to-day operations during the county’s recovery from bankruptcy.

In recent months, Spitzer has questioned whether the nonelected CEO has too much power and suggested that the board take some back. But others insist that the county is operating more efficiently with a strong manager at the helm.

The three supervisors who back an airport at El Toro quickly came to Mittermeier’s defense, accusing Wilson and Spitzer of “micro-managing” and trying to sabotage the airport planning process.

“I question the motivation of seeking this information. I think they will use it to destroy the process--that’s their goal,” said Supervisor Charles V. Smith. “She doesn’t work for one or two individual supervisors, she works for the full board. I’m behind her 100%.”

Board of Supervisors Chairman William G. Steiner agreed. “It’s very difficult to tell an individual board member ‘no,’ ” he said. “But she is simply following the board majority.”

Steiner, however, expressed dismay that the clash occurs just a month after he agreed to join with Wilson and Spitzer in supporting a plan that allows airport opponents in South County to complete the county’s study of non-aviation alternatives for El Toro.

“My motivation in supporting that was to tone things down and keep people from going at each other’s throats,” Steiner said. “I’m disappointed we have this flap. I hope it settles down.”

The newest controversy began earlier this week when Wilson sent a memo to Mittermeier seeking information on the issues discussed by county representatives with federal officials while on out-of-town visits. He also asked for a schedule of such future meetings.

His memo followed a meeting in Washington last week between county staff and federal officials and members of the airline pilots union, which has taken an active role in the airport plan.

“I believe that the Board of Supervisors, in our policymaking role, needs to be kept advised of such details as the issue of reuse” for the El Toro Marine base, Wilson wrote in the memo, dated Nov. 10. “As a representative of those most affected by any reuse of the [base at] El Toro, I feel it is imperative that my office know of any travel or meeting plans beforehand.”

Wilson’s district is mostly in South County, where many residents fear a commercial airport would create noise, traffic congestion and safety problems.

Responding to Wilson’s request, Mittermeier sent back a memo saying she “would not be providing such a schedule” because, as the county’s chief executive officer, she has been given the authority to “preapprove such travel.”

“The Board involvement you are requesting is unnecessary for the formulation of good policy decisions,” she wrote.

Mittermeier declined to comment about the spat, saying it’s not her policy to publicly discuss her relationship with the board. But in a statement released late Friday, she said she has and will continue to keep all supervisors informed about out-of-town travel and other El Toro issues.

Wilson denied that his purpose was to secure information for airport foes. He said all of the information he asked for is readily available to the public.

“Paranoia seems to be running rampant,” said Wilson. “It is in the best interest of county government to establish good communications. We have a major erosion of communication and what it has done is led me to be blindsided with my community. What do I have to do, make a public records request?”

As elected officials, Spitzer added, it is their duty to request those details.

“The fact of the matter is that it is a slap in the face to the Orange County taxpayer that any elected official would not want to be involved in the decision-making process and [instead] have that relegated to a staff person,” he said.

But Smith, Steiner and Supervisor Jim Silva said Mittermeier’s actions were consistent with the five-member board’s vote last December to move forward with airport planning.

“She is following our directions,” Silva said. “I think this is micro-managing by board members, and the county can’t afford to do business that way.”

Silva said that board members were much more involved in daily operations before the bankruptcy, but that the system made government less efficient and more confused. “We set policy, and the CEO carries it out,” Silva said. “She answers to the entire board.”