A New Power Struggle at El Toro

Two Orange County supervisors want to reel in the powerful El Toro airport agency and order a massive study on what to do with the former El Toro Marine base.

Supervisors Todd Spitzer and Board Chairwoman Cynthia P. Coad, usually at opposite ends of the airport battle, have proposed moving the El Toro Local Redevelopment Authority under the county’s chief executive, rather than the Board of Supervisors, which has been polarized for years with three members supporting an airport and two opposed.

Having authority chief Gary Simon report to County Executive Officer Michael Schumacher effectively would force much decision-making to take place before issues reach the board. Simon, whose mission had been to build an airport at El Toro, has had the ear and support of the three-member, pro-airport majority.

The proposal to bring the authority under the CEO will be considered by supervisors Tuesday.

Spitzer and Coad also are asking for a thorough study of El Toro’s future in light of voters’ approval of Measure W, which rezoned the base to prevent an airport and instead use the land for a park and other compatible development.

The day after the March 5 election, the Navy announced its intent to put the 4,700-acre base up for public sale, even as it has said it would consider local plans for a park and other compatible uses. The Navy, eager to complete the transfer of the base, which has been closed since 1999, said it plans to decide what to do with the property by April 23.

The proposal to rein in the redevelopment authority is being viewed as a power play by Spitzer, whose opposition to an airport often has resulted in his crossing swords with Simon.

Their conflict came to a head in January, when thousands of postcards promoting the airport were shipped to a post office a day after a judge ordered the county to stop using public funds to promote an airport.

Spitzer contends that Simon told him no mailers were pending. Simon has said he told Spitzer there were postcards in the mail “pipeline.” Now when the two talk, Spitzer tape-records their discussions.

In his job as executive director, Simon earns about $182,000 a year overseeing an agency of 29 employees, whose task is to plan the switch from military base to civilian use. It also is charged with maintaining and maximizing base assets, such as stables, a golf course and agricultural leases while the county leases the land from the Navy.

The authority now must shift its emphasis from planning for an airport to developing it in accordance with Measure W. Spitzer says his proposal is an effort to speed that process.

But Supervisor Chuck Smith, who supported an airport, called Spitzer’s proposals a “knee-jerk” reaction after the election and a veiled attempt to fire Simon.

“I want to let the dust settle a little,” Smith said, adding that he believes Simon has done a good job and that any attempt to get rid of him now would be a waste of valuable county time and money because of the Navy’s pending decision on transferring or selling the base.

“Spitzer has tried to fire Gary [Simon] before but didn’t succeed,” Smith said, adding that he nonetheless had no problem merging Simon’s planning agency into the executive office run by Schumacher.

Supervisor Tom Wilson said he favors the move too. Supervisor Jim Silva was out of town and could not be reached for comment.

The merger would give Simon more time to meet with supervisors and make him more accountable, Wilson said. Simon’s agency now is a separate entity, but while he reports directly to the board, he can confer with only two supervisors at a time because having a third board member present would be a violation of the Brown Act.

Spitzer, who denied he was seeking Simon’s dismissal, said that if the agency answers to Schumacher, Brown Act provisions wouldn’t apply. He said he is only trying to bring greater oversight, especially now that the county cannot use revenue from John Wayne Airport for base planning.

About $11.8 million in John Wayne funds had been earmarked for El Toro planning for fiscal year 2001-02.

“We can’t spend [John Wayne Airport] money anymore, and the CEO is the one who oversees the general fund,” Spitzer said. “I want the CEO to explain if we can afford to take the next step on El Toro, whatever that may be.”

Spitzer said he also was trying to fast-track the decision-making process, noting that Simon wanted to wait until April 16 to convene a special meeting of the board, which also sits as directors of the redevelopment authority.

“I didn’t want to wait seven weeks to give direction. It’s imperative we do it immediately,” Spitzer said. “I hope people don’t look at this as a defensive posture of staking out their turf, but instead, the board saying we have a responsibility to get answers.”

Simon, who was hired in January 2001, said that during his contract negotiations, the possibility of various El Toro options was raised.

“I would be pleased to lead the team from aviation to nonaviation,” Simon said in an interview. “The citizens of Orange County will see the same high level of work, dedication and commitment to the Measure W plan that we put into the aviation plan.”

But whether the county will even get control of the base is undecided.

“The county doesn’t own it, and we could say to the military, ‘It’s yours,’” Coad said. “But we need to know our options, and we’re bringing many departments in so there will be a complete picture.”