At the center of the storm

Noaki Schwartz

Jim Wood is difficult to pin down.

Some see the library trustee as a visionary. Others perceive him as

divisive and out to carve a name for himself. Still others argue he’s

great at bringing people together.

One thing is for sure -- it is as difficult to get a singular opinion on

Wood as it is to get a straight answer out of the man himself.

Judging from how well he’s handled recent public relations nightmares --

the library’s dispute with its fund-raising arm and accusations that he

violated public policy with the arts center proposal -- Wood is a master

at dealing with public image.

And, while it is well-known that dynamic leaders are essential to making

big projects happen, strong personalities also illicit strong reactions:

either resentment or unquestioning support.

“I think Jim is one of those Mark Twain-type characters who is a little

bit colorful. There is no question he’s been a visionary and extremely

talented in business, building Unique Homes and Coast Magazine,” said

Patrick Bartolic, who works with Wood on the Arts and Education board.

Others, however, believe Wood is overly ambitious and is losing focus on

his commitments. Major library donor Elizabeth Stahr recently accused

Wood of having a conflict of interest in heading both the committee

promoting the $12-million Arts and Education Center as well as the

library trustees.

“That Jim wants to do this building [the arts center] is fine, but not as

chairman [of the library board]. He’s wearing two hats,” she said.

Wood disagrees with the perception that he is overly ambitious.

“All I want to be is a catalyst -- to get [things] started,” he said.

Over the last 35 years, Wood has become a fixture in the community. His

extensive involvement and prominence, however, have also made him a

difficult person to criticize. There are some in the community who,

behind the scenes, are continually critical of Wood. However, they were

unwilling to be quoted about their feelings in the Pilot and admitted it

was partly because they feared a backlash from Wood.

Wood has a number of connections not only related to the library, but

also because he is the publisher of Coast Magazine, a monthly news and

lifestyle magazine.

Using these positions as a springboard, Wood has expanded his leadership

role to include spearheading the effort to build a $12-million Arts and

Education Center behind the library.

The weekly public meetings and problems ironed out by the center’s

planning committee shed some light on Wood as a leader. The group had a

difficult start in simply organizing its project for presentation to the

City Council. For nearly three months, members argued over whether it

should be publicly or privately owned and operated.

Wood was unbending in his belief that it should be city-owned and run,

insisting that it was simpler. Most of the Arts Commission members,

however, felt this would give the city the power of censorship over

displays.

As the date for presenting the project crept closer, Wood finally won out

when the city attorney said a private center was not legally feasible.

While it is important to keep the committee of Arts Commission and

Library Board members united -- something that is no easy task in an

opinion-saturated city like Newport Beach -- Wood’s leadership style does

not please everyone.

This is clearly the case with the recent dispute between Stahr and Wood.

Last month, Stahr accused Wood of riding roughshod over the Library

Foundation by insisting on fund-raising for the Arts and Education

Center. This cuts directly into something Stahr, as founder of the first

library foundation, holds dear to heart.

Wood, however, denies fund-raising for the center at all and said Stahr’s

accusations were unfounded.

“It isn’t because we’ve made [fund-raising] overtures,” Wood said.

“They’ve gotten wind of the idea and think it’s a sound proposal for

Newport Beach.”

City Atty. Bob Burnham investigated whether Wood had a conflict of

interest by sitting on the library board and the committee proposing the

arts center, eventually deciding there was no problem.

Part of the reason for the accusation is the larger dispute over

finances, which has exploded between library trustees and the foundation.

Again, Wood’s handling of this situation gives some insight into his

style of diplomacy.

In October, a strongly worded letter, believed by foundation members to

have been drafted by Wood, threatened to dissolve the trustees’

relationship with the foundation. While the foundation raises money for

books and other library necessities, it is trustees who decide how the

money is spent.

The letter stated that unless the foundation gave the trustees greater

control over finances, regular financial reports and reduce operating

costs, members would have to clear out their offices in the library.

Since then, a limited number of trustees and foundation members have been

meeting actively in an attempt to resolve the situation, even though both

groups had totally opposing perspectives.

Wood and Julie Ryan, both firm in their convictions that the foundation

needed to meet the demands, represented the trustees at these meetings.

An agreement has been drafted, but the foundation has now asked for more

time to review it before making a decision.

Through all of this, however, Wood maintains he is really just an ideas

man -- someone who has a distinct vision on ways of bringing the city

together. He even said that if his position with the Arts and Education

Center committee compromised the project’s future, he would step down.

“I have always had a desire to be involved in the community,” Wood said.

“It [may be] my idea, but one person can’t do it. You’ve got to click

with others.”