Editor’s Notebook -- Danette Goulet

Until now, I have not weighed in on the debate over creating council

districts in Huntington Beach.

This is because I was not entirely sure as to where I stood on the

matter and am not given to being wishy-washy.

But after speaking to Ed Blackford, plant manager of AES Huntington

Beach, I am firm in my convictions.

It is not only unnecessary, it would be a bad move.

According to Blackford, his company’s lawyer, former Assemblyman Scott

Baugh, approached him about supporting a measure to fraction off

Huntington Beach into five councilmanic districts.

The measure would reduce the number of City Council members from seven

to five, and rather than electing members at-large, residents would vote

only for the candidate in their area of the city.

“Scott approached me about this concept and said that it was more of a

macro issue of providing more even representation and could perhaps end

up leading to a more business friendly environment,” Blackford said.

After butting heads with the City Council on various issues during the

last few years, Blackford said he agreed to Baugh’s proposal and hoped it

would make his dealings with the council easier.

But he did not want to be the one to lead the charge. He agreed to pay

$7,500 of Baugh’s $100,000 campaign to control the City Council.

Baugh is now working to collect the 16,000 signatures to place the

districting measure on the November 2002 ballot.

There are other companies who contributed as well to the campaign,

Blackford said, but he would not reveal the names he knew.

Baugh is not required to report his financials to the city until July,

according to the City Clerk’s office. We’ll find out then.

Blackford further shared the thinking behind this measure.

“Right now, and again Scott has said all this, you have a

preponderance of wealthy beachfront property owners and other areas don’t

have a voice per se.”

Interesting.

Baugh has also publicly stated that he believes the City Council is

too concerned with environmental issues and not concerned enough with the

crumbling infrastructure.

I tried reaching Baugh by phone but had no success.

So let’s get this straight -- voters are to support a measure because

it would aid big business and hopefully dilute interest from

environmental issues -- issues such as those facing Orange County

Sanitation District and AES, who Baugh is a lobbyist for.

Blackford would rather just let voters decide. I have no problem with

that. Because even without knowing the motive behind this plan, I would

have voted against it.

Seven members are bound to provide a more even point of view.

I darn well want to have a say in each member elected to represent me

and want them all to represent me -- not just one.

And lastly I would hate to see a great candidate dismissed because he

or she lives in the wrong neighborhood.

* DANETTE GOULET is the city editor. She can be reached at (714)

965-7170 or by e-mail at o7 danette.goulet@latimes.comf7 .