Los Angeles Times

New chief for coastal agency

The commission promotes a veteran employee to interim post as protests continue.

- By Dan Weikel dan. weikel@ latimes. com Twitter: @ LADeadline­16

A veteran employee takes over interim post as protests continue.

The California Coastal Commission on Wednesday appointed a 27year veteran of the agency to temporaril­y replace the top executive the panel fired last month.

The action came as scores of protesters showed up at the commission meeting in Santa Monica to continue voicing their disapprova­l of Charles Lester’s ouster on Feb. 10.

The commission voted 7 to 5 to terminate Lester during a secret session and with little public explanatio­n at its Morro Bay meeting, where the panel took comment from more than 200 people who opposed Lester’s dismissal.

At Wednesday’s hearing, the panel voted 11 to 1 to appoint Jack Ainsworth, the agency’s senior deputy director, as interim executive director until a permanent replacemen­t is named.

“I consider this meeting the start of the next 40 years of the commission,” said Marin County Supervisor Steve Kinsey, the panel’s chairman. “How we proceed is important. We need to reestablis­h our commitment to the California Coastal Act and rebuild trust.”

Ainsworth, 58, of Ventura, has a bachelor’s degree in environmen­tal studies and geography from Cal State San Bernardino, as well as a master’s degree in geography from UC Riverside. He has served as the commission’s senior deputy director since 2011.

Agency sources say Ainsworth is respected by commission staff, has a deep commitment to public service and is very knowledgea­ble about the Coastal Act. The law sets the parameters, requiremen­ts and priorities for environmen­tal protection, developmen­t and the use of marine resources along the state’s 1,100 miles of coastline.

“I appreciate your vote of confidence at this difficult time,” Ainsworth told the commission. “We will continue that important work of the commission — work based on fact, the law and strict applicatio­n of the California Coastal Act.”

During the public comment portion of the meeting, members of the public criticized the commission for f iring Lester, the lack of transparen­cy surroundin­g his ouster and the increasing constructi­on of large, expensive homes in Venice, which is changing the character of the neighborho­od and driving out low- and moderate- income residents.

“Whatever it is, we’re not buying it,” said Julie Ross of Playa del Rey. “We aren’t even renting it.”

After a speaker accused the commission of betraying the public trust, Kinsey cut off public comment, saying it would resume later in the day.

“Sorry it’s so inconvenie­nt for you to hear from us,” one protester shouted.

Commission­er Wendy Mitchell then rose to defend the panel and offer her explanatio­n of Lester’s firing. She said that there were communicat­ion problems and a lack of diversity at the senior levels of the agency and that requests from commission­ers went unfulfille­d.

“I lost confidence in Charles. He dodged questions and failed to communicat­e,” Mitchell said.

As jeers and shouts of “Resign” and “Fire her” came from the audience, Kinsey called for order and told Mitchell to stop talking.

Commission­ers “don’t respond to public comment,” he said to her. “I’m seriously interested in you cutting off your comments.”

 ?? Photog r aphs by Michael Owen Baker
For The Times ?? PROTESTERS GATHER outside the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium before a California Coastal Commission hearing Wednesday. They were still angry about the panel’s f iring of Executive Director Charles Lester last month with little public explanatio­n.
Photog r aphs by Michael Owen Baker For The Times PROTESTERS GATHER outside the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium before a California Coastal Commission hearing Wednesday. They were still angry about the panel’s f iring of Executive Director Charles Lester last month with little public explanatio­n.
 ??  ?? NEW I NTERIM Executive Director Jack Ainsworth has been with the agency for 27 years, the last few years as senior deputy director.
NEW I NTERIM Executive Director Jack Ainsworth has been with the agency for 27 years, the last few years as senior deputy director.
 ??  ?? I LANA MAROSI holds a photo of Commission­er Wendy Mitchell, center, and U2’ s David Evans, who is developing a Malibu site.
I LANA MAROSI holds a photo of Commission­er Wendy Mitchell, center, and U2’ s David Evans, who is developing a Malibu site.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States