2/11/16
MORRO BAY -- Defying a hostile crowd, the California Coastal Commission voted Wednesday night to fire Executive Director Charles Lester, a decision that environmentalists fear could weaken the agency's strict posture on development of the state's precious coastline.
The commission made the vote in closed session at the conclusion of a marathon meeting in Morro Bay attended by hundreds of sign-waving Lester supporters. Commissioners rejected the notion that Lester's dismissal would damage coastal protection, and several lashed out at the media for portraying Lester's ouster as a struggle between pro- and anti-development forces.
"Some of you now are convinced that we are behind a sinister plot to betray everything we've sworn to protect," said Commissioner Mark Vargas. "This is not a decision we come to rashly or suddenly, but after years of review with the executive director."
So many people addressed the 12 voting commissioners that the public comment period stretched past six hours.
Many speakers scolded the commission for a lack of transparency. The commissioners said little in the weeks leading up to the meeting about the reasons for the hearing to dismiss Lester, a fact that some commissioners attributed Wednesday to Lester's refusal to waive his right to keep his personnel evaluations confidential.
"From the outside, it certainly appears that what is underway at the California Coastal Commission represents politics over public service, special interests over the good of the people, and backroom maneuvers over public transparency," said Lynda Hopkins, who lives in Sonoma County.
But commissioners insisted Lester's removal was based solely on his job performance.
Commissioners criticized Lester and his staff on several grounds. Some said the staff lacked ethnic diversity. Others claimed the staff did a poor job communicating with coastal development applicants and sharing information with commissioners.
"We're not a rubber stamp," said Commissioner Dayna Bochco, who voted to retain Lester. "We need to know what we're deciding and why we're deciding."
Lester delivered an impassioned defense of his job Wednesday morning, but it was not enough to sway a majority of the commission.
"I understand how this organization works, bottom to top," said Lester, who headed an agency that regulates development along 1,100 miles of the California coast. "The work of the commission speaks to who I am and who I strive to be."
Public support for Lester was almost universal after the commission announced in late January it would consider removing him. Myriad environmental groups and more than 10 members of Congress, 18 state legislators and 35 former coastal commissioners lobbied the commission to retain the executive director, who took the post in 2011.
About 95 percent of the agency's staff signed a letter praising Lester as "an exceptional and dedicated" leader.
Even Pebble Beach Co. defended Lester. A company executive read a letter from CEO William Perocchi that credited Lester for helping to establish a cooperate and respectful relationship between the commission and the luxury golf resorts. Perocchi called Lester "fair, pragmatic, creative, open and reasonable."
During his presentation Wednesday morning, Lester pledged to improve staff diversity and communication between the agency's staff, developers, stakeholders and commissioners. But he stressed the importance of preserving the staff's independence.
"Over the years some have criticized the culture of the staff, arguing that it needs to change, perhaps be less independent and more user-friendly," said Lester. "I think it is important to distinguish between independence and engagement. The role of an independent staff has always been central to the success of the commission's program."
The votes to dismiss Lester came from commissioners Wendy Mitchell, Martha McClure, Effie Turnbull-Sanders, Mark Vargas, Erik Howell, Robert Uranga and Olga Diaz, an alternate replacing Gregory Cox, who did not attend the meeting. Commission Chairman Steve Kinsey and commissioners Carole Groom, Mary Shallenberger, Dayna Bochco and Mary Luévano voted to retain him.
Howell, McClure, Mitchell, Uranga, Vargas, Diaz and Bochco rejected a motion by Groom to hash out Lester's fate in private but vote in public.
Billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer, who appeared at a rally before the hearing, issued a statement late Wednesday criticizing the backroom vote.
"Behind closed doors, the Coastal Commission defied the will of the people and acted to weaken the protection of California's iconic beaches," Steyer said. "This is a wake-up call for all who care about preserving California's majestic coastline for future generations."
Urango and other commissioners claimed their hands were tied in discussing Lester's performance by the executive director's decision not to open up his records to public scrutiny. But Christopher Pederson, chief counsel for the commission, told commissioners they could discuss "their own current thoughts regarding the executive director and management of the agency" so long as they didn't delve into the specifics of past evaluations.
One commissioner who remained notably silent Wednesday was Wendy Mitchell, whom environmentalists have pointed to as the leader of the anti-Lester movement.
Mitchell, a political consultant, was tapped by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2010 during his final days in office.
Some speakers Wednesday accused commissioners of seeking to undermine the independence of the commission's 163-person staff to benefit coastal developers.
"This hearing is not about Charles' performance -- it's about yours," said Stefanie Sekich-Quinn, coastal preservation manager for the Surfrider Foundation. "This hearing is about your priorities for the coast and what the direction of this commission looks like."
Supporters gave Lester a rousing standing ovation once the commission's decision was announced around 9:20 p.m. Lester thanked the members of the public for their support.
"It's been a privilege to serve the commission as executive director for the last 4 1/2 years," said Lester. "I worked hard, I accomplished a lot, and hopefully that work will continue on into the future."
