Genser feels chamber appointments unethical
CITY HALL — Despite suggestions that its leadership may be unethically chosen, elected officials this week voted against remaking the selection process for members who serve on a tax-supported tourist advisory board.
The Santa Monica City Council favored (4-3) on Tuesday to allow the Convention and Visitors Bureau to maintain current practices in which board members are appointed both by the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce and City Hall.
The bureau is a non-profit group which supports tourism efforts and, therefore, is considered an integral part of the local economic engine. However, five of the bureau’s 11 board members are appointed by the chamber, an entity that has recently gotten more involved in local politics — forming political action committees and endorsing three current councilmembers in last year’s election.
The bureau’s remaining five positions are appointed by the City Council, with the City Manager serving as a permanent member.
The bureau — set to receive $2,087,900 in funding this year from City Hall — was asked in June by the City Council to find an alternative method of making its five appointments from the chamber, perhaps by pursuing other contacts within the business community. One method the council suggested would be for the bureau’s board to recruit among tourist trade associations, or from local business districts.
On Tuesday, the City Council heard a response from the bureau, whose members indicated that after much deliberation, they decided their selection method was appropriate.
“We considered your request, however, the current composition seems to work best for us,” said Rodney Punt, a bureau board member. “We do not act in politics.
“In short, if it (isn’t) broke, don’t fix it.”
Mayor Pam O’Connor was the determining factor to preserve the bureau’s leadership selection process.
“The city manager serves on the bureau, and I anticipate the new city manager will, too,” O’Connor said. “If there were a problem with (political influence), I’m sure it would be reported.
“I don’t see an ethical issue. The bureau is a transparent organization.”
However, the bureau’s position frustrated some elected officials, such as City Councilman Ken Genser, who said it’s inappropriate that City Hall confer any special status on a group which is politically involved.
“The chamber is now engaged in partisan politics, and it’s important the city keeps an arms-length away from any political organization,” Genser said.
Genser said because of the chamber’s recent political posturing, allowing bureau board members to be appointed by the chamber would be equivalent to City Hall allowing the Rent Control Board to be appointed by Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights, a group which Genser has close philosophical ties and endorsed him in the last election.
Councilman Bobby Shriver, who was endorsed last year by the chamber, disagreed with the analysis that it was a political organization. He said he would have been more supportive of any attempts to better regulate the bureau if allegations of political wrongdoing weren’t anticipatory in nature.
“If we were going to suggest a whistle-blower clause that would allow bureau board members to report any political influencing, I could be supportive,” Shriver said. “As it stands, I haven’t heard about any (political influencing) and I don’t see there being an ethical issue (in how the bureau operates).”
Suspecting some elected officials may not have been disclosing the full basis for their decision, Councilman Kevin McKeown — who supported Genser’s position — requested that councilmem-bers who were endorsed by the chamber raise their hands.
City Councilmen Bob Holbrook, Herb Katz and Shriver — who voted against the changing the bureau’s makeup — were endorsed by the chamber in the last election. The three councilmembers said they voted against making any changes to the bureau while indicating their affiliation with the chamber had nothing to do with their decision.
“I have no problem being asked if I was endorsed by the chamber,” Shriver said. “I have a problem if anyone believed I’d hesitate (in responding).
“My decision has nothing to do with the fact I was endorsed by the chamber, and I resent any implication it might. I simply feel (the bureau’s makeup) is not an issue, and that we should be talking about other city problems.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 26, 2005. Read the original PDF.