Panel Head’s Removal

I am extremely disappointed that Councilwoman Laura Chick removed George Jerome from the Van Nuys Airport Citizens Advisory Committee (“Panel Head Says He Was Thrown Out of Post by Councilwoman,” Aug. 7).

Jerome is a Valley resident and a pilot who understands both sides. He has run the committee meetings very fairly and concisely, always making sure all sides had even time to represent themselves.

It is my understanding that Chick says she removed Jerome because she is rotating membership on her advisory panels, and that Jerome was near the end of his yearlong term.

However, Jerome’s chair traditionally sits for two years or longer and I am curious as to what other members were “rotated,” if any.

This is another slap in the face by Chick, this time not just to business owners, residents and supporters of Jerome, but to Jerome himself. Since when do we the people have too many volunteers who work long hours like Jerome to get to the truth of matters?

Councilwoman Chick, what is your agenda? Is it really the people in the majority, or are you answering to the loud minority and political departments?

RICHARD HODKINSON

President

Elite Aviation

Van Nuys

* Chick stated in the Aug. 7 article (“Panel Head Says He Was Thrown Out of Post by Councilwoman”) that “she is simply rotating membership on all advisory panels, which she attempts to do every two or three years with each of her 50 or so appointees.”

She is then quoted as saying that she picked this time to dismiss Jerome because he is “coming to the close of his term as chairman. . . .”

The fact is that Jerome was appointed by Chick at the same time that she appointed a moderate homeowner a little over four years ago. But the latter appointee has not been removed in accordance with the standards the council member has applied in removing Jerome.

In the face of Jerome’s advocacy for aviation interests, it would seem that Chick may be indulging in selective application of standards.

Though the council member states she has yet to select a replacement for Jerome, she did note that the appointee will probably be a homeowner from the airport area.

While she repeatedly says she is committed to the vitality of business in the community, this is another instance where she is exerting her authority against the obvious and compelling needs of the greater community to accommodate a small group of vocal advocates concerned only with their own desires.

For those who assert a pro-aviation bias on the council, look at the voting and speaking records of present members.

You will find that of the 18 members, 10 have consistently aligned with homeowner positions, and eight generally have supported the needs of business.

Chick is about to exacerbate this inequality by increasing the count to 11 homeowner activists, and seven supporters of the economic needs of the community.

Is this a demonstration of Archimedes’ discourse on levers, or an honest attempt at balance?

ROBERT L. RODINE

Sherman Oaks