CULTURAL HERITAGE ISSUES UP TO CITY : Bradley Recommends Transfer of Authority; Efforts to Preserve Landmarks Strengthened

Los Angeles’ cultural heritage operation is coming under full city scrutiny after the first steps were taken by a City Council committee Monday afternoon to upgrade efforts to preserve landmarks.

Among the issues being considered is the transfer of the cultural heritage function itself from the Cultural Affairs Department under general manager Fred Croton to the Planning Department under longtime director Calvin Hamilton.

Also being considered are an increase in the membership of the Cultural Heritage Commission from five to seven, with the majority made up from professionals in the field, and a sliding-scale increase from a minimum of one year to a maximum of five before demolition of any potentially historic buildings can begin.

Although various cultural heritage changes have been under study for three years, the matter came to a head after Mayor Tom Bradley sent a letter to Councilman Joel Wachs, chairman of the Recreation, Library and Cultural Affairs Committee, formally recommending the transfer.

Both Hamilton, who argued for the jurisdictional transfer, and Croton, who maintained he has “a set of observations more than I do objections,” testified.

Amarjit Marwah, chairman of the Cultural Heritage Commission, vice chairman Velma Taylor and Ruthann Lehrer, executive director of the Los Angeles Conservancy, a citizen’s group interested in preservation issues, also spoke in favor of the transfer.

Wachs directed the city attorney’s office to develop a package of ordinances based on about 30 suggestions raised over the last three years. He also asked the city administrator’s office to provide information on increased staffing to accommodate the proposed changes, as well as to determine present staffing.

Ironically, the managements of both departments have come under fire.

Hamilton has already announced that he will resign sometime this year. And the Cultural Affairs Department remains under investigation for its “personnel policies and practices” under Croton’s tenure. A report has been completed by the city’s Personnel Department and is scheduled to be sent to Croton shortly for initial review. Two main arguments emerged for transfer--the fact that in many cities the planning and cultural heritage functions are combined and the dissatisfaction of the cultural heritage commissioners with limited staffing at the Cultural Affairs Department.

As an absolute minimum, Hamilton said, four full-time staffers, buttressed by various architects and map makers within his department, were needed. The issue of staffing became exacerbated after Ileana Welch, who acted as the city’s cultural heritage coordinator for 20 years, left Cultural Affairs to become executive secretary to Councilman Michael Woo. At the time, she complained about having had to work without a full-time secretary for two years, and blamed Croton.

At the hearing, Croton cited the need “to keep very, very separate” the planning and cultural heritage functions, such as in New York City, and insisted that staffing limitations were due to overall budget cuts. He also said there’s “bound to be some (short-term) dislocation” and “discontent” when “a longtime employee” (Welch) leaves.

Marwah cited the need for “a better working relationship” with a city department. “During my stay of five years (as commissioner),” he said, “I don’t think we have anything to show.”

Referring to Welch, he added: “We had a good person with an excellent background for a years, but since she has taken up another job in Michael Woo’s office, we are left like stepchildren.”

Taylor, the commission’s senior member of 10 years’ standing, said she is “ashamed” to call herself a cultural heritage commissioner. “I wouldn’t have said that 10 years ago,” she said, indicating that she blamed Croton’s staffing policies. “I wouldn’t have said that five years ago.”