Council debates into the night

June Casagrande

Councilman Dick Nichols appeared in public for the first time Tuesday

night since coming under fire for racially charged statements.

Chambers were packed with community members impassioned on each side

of the issue.

Council members debated whether to take action against Nichols for

numerous comments they considered insensitive to Latinos.

“The issue is bringing nationality into a policy issue where it

doesn’t belong,” said Councilman Gary Adams referring to Nichols’

prior comments regarding “Mexicans” using Corona del Mar State Beach.

Mayor Steve Bromberg asked that a revised resolution rebuking

Nichols be read in full to those in attendance.

“This is not solely about a single comment, this is about a

pattern of comments,” Bromberg said.

Council members debated into the night whether to support several

strong measures in opposition to what they say is a pattern of racial

insensitivity from Nichols: to apologize to members of the Latino

community and anyone else who was offended by any of Nichols’

comments; to approve a resolution formally asking Nichols to step

down; and to strip Nichols of his committee appointments.

The controversy began last month when Nichols said in a telephone

interview that he didn’t want to expand grassy areas at Corona del

Mar State Beach because, “With grass, we usually get Mexicans coming

in there early in the morning and they claim it as theirs and it

becomes their personal, private grounds all day.”

The city attorney’s office has since documented four other

instances of comments made by Nichols about Latinos.

* JUNE CASAGRANDE covers Newport Beach and John Wayne Airport. She

may be reached at (949) 574-4232 or by e-mail at

june.casagrande@latimes.com.