Wrangling Continues on Redevelopment Post

The controversial appointment of the Community Redevelopment Agency’s administrator took a new turn Wednesday when City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas alleged that the agency’s interim head has received preferential treatment based on his race.

Mayor Richard Riordan and some council members are seeking the appointment of embattled CRA head Jerry Scharlin without a nationwide search for a permanent head of the perpetually troubled agency.

But Ridley-Thomas and others say that the city typically conducts a search before it makes such high-level appointments. Ridley-Thomas says that the city probably will conduct such a search for a new head of the airports department although its interim head, Lydia Kennard, is expected to apply for the job. Scharlin is white; Kennard is African American.

“With their demographics, you have to wonder what is going on here,” Ridley-Thomas said. “I mean, come on. I’m sorry. This is almost like catching someone red-handed.”

A source close to the mayor dismissed Ridley-Thomas’ charges, saying, “It’s unfortunate when people start to introduce the race card. There’s just no rebuttal to irresponsible comments like that.”

A divided City Council on Wednesday agreed only to delay the decision on Scharlin for a week. During that time, the city is expected to receive and discuss a settlement offer in a lawsuit filed against Scharlin and the city when he fired an agency employee; another lawsuit has been filed by a second employee who also was fired.

Riordan and some lawmakers led by Councilman Nick Pacheco say that Scharlin’s appointment should be extended because he is restructuring the agency. His proposals should be given time to be implemented, they say. Pacheco is seeking a two-year contract for the administrator; Ridley-Thomas proposed giving him another six-month contract with the possibility of two 90-day extensions as a nationwide search gets underway.

But underlying all the debate is the political reality that the council is unsure about the agency’s future, with some lawmakers believing that they should run it. Those council members did not want to lock in an administrator to run the agency for more than a year.

Council members, however, say they expect more discussion about the appointment in the next few days, with compromises possible.

Chief Legislative Analyst Ron Deaton told the council that he believes one year is enough time for Scharlin to turn around the agency before a new permanent head is selected.

Deputy Mayor Noelia Rodriguez said Scharlin has been able to “right the agency” in the six months that he has been running it. He was brought in when former CRA administrator John Molloy retired under pressure.

“He is doing for the CRA what Julian Burke was doing for the MTA: righting the wrong,” Rodriguez said.

Scharlin should remain in the job, she said, because the agency needs his leadership.

“The only thing worse than a rudderless ship is a sinking ship,” she said.

The CRA, a complex, quasi-city department, helps to revitalize decaying sections of the city; Hollywood, for example, is being given a face lift largely through the CRA, and the new downtown Staples Center also was a CRA project.