Mayor's assignments don't go over easy

DOWNEY - A lively, almost heated, exchange of words erupted at the Jan. 11 city council meeting when Mayor Luis Marquez announced subcommittee assignments as part of the calendar during his mayoral term.Putting himself with Councilman Roger Brossmer on the Downtown Subcommittee didn't sit well with Councilman Mario Guerra, who said he thought it was made very clear way beforehand that he, Guerra, who has been on the subcommittee for the past four years, was to continue in the post. Guerra said Marquez earlier indicated to him that he was interested in other assignments. Councilman Fernando Vasquez even got into the act, saying that he too wanted to be on the subcommittee. Reacting sharply, Guerra said, "It won't happen because of conflict of interest," referring to Vasquez' prior employment and involvement with National Community Renaissance, which almost derailed his election chances. A member of the planning commission at the time, National Community Renaissance won the bid to build the city's 50-unit affordable apartment building at 8314 Second St. After turning down Brossmer's offer to give up his seat in favor of the mayor, Marquez said that, in the interest of harmony ("I'm a team player"), he was willing to acquiesce to Guerra's preference. The council approved the rest of the subcommittee assignments (names appearing first are the primary reps., the alternates second) without further incident, including: •California Contract Cities Association: Guerra and Brossmer; •Chamber of Commerce board of directors city reps.: Councilman David Gafin and Vasquez; •City-School Coordinating Committee: Brossmer and the remaining council members; •Columbia Memorial Space Center Foundation: Marquez and Brossmer; •Downey Regional Medical Center Foundation board of directors: all council members; •Downey Police and Fire Foundation: Marquez and Guerra; •Gangs Out of Downey: Gafin and Guerra; •Gateway City Council of Gov. Executive Committee and I-710 Executive Committee (with a $100 stipend for each meeting attended): Marquez and remaining council members; •Gateway Cities Council of Governments: Gateway Cities SR-91/I-605 Needs Assessment Study Corridor Cites Commission ($100/meeting): Marquez and Gafin; •Interstate 5 Consortium Cities Policy Bd. re I-5 ($150/meeting): Gafin and remaining members; •L.A. County Sanitation Districts 2 and 18 ($125/meeting): Marquez and Guerra; •League of California Cities (L.A. County): Marquez and Brossmer; •Orangeline Development Authority ($100/meeting): Marquez and Guerra; •Southeast Area Animal Control Authority ($200/meeting) Marquez and Vasquez; •Southeast L. A. County Workforce Investment Policy Board: Vasquez and Brossmer ($75/meeting); •Southeast Water Coalition Policy Board ($150/meeting): Brossmer and Guerra; •Downey Landing Re-use: Marquez and Gafin; •Emergency Preparedness: Gafin and Vasquez (from hereon in, both names are primary reps.); •Rancho Los Amigos Property: Marquez and Guerra; •Branding: Brossmer and Guerra; •Civic Theatre Review: Brossmer and Gafin; and •Veterans Memorial: Brossmer and Guerra.

********** Published: January 13, 2011 - Volume 9 - Issue 39