Wood passed over for library position

Noaki Schwartz

NEWPORT BEACH -- Jim Wood, who was at the center of the storm between the

library trustees and foundation this year, was not interviewed for

reappointment to his position on the board of trustees.

Wood had applied for reappointment, but said he was not disappointed that

he was overlooked despite his four-year tenure as a library trustee --

three of those years as chairman.

“I think it goes with the political territory,” he said. “I know I worked

hard and there’s a lot we accomplished.”

Wood, who is the publisher of Coast magazine, was instrumental in turning

some library events into high-profile happenings. This year, he was able

to book television news anchor Tom Brokaw to lecture at the Distinguished

Speaker Series.

The trustee selection subcommittee, which includes councilmen Gary Adams,

Tod Ridgeway and Tom Thomson, on Tuesday announced the two candidates,

Walter Howald and Bill Adams.

“The short-list credentials were incredibly strong,” Ridgeway said. “They

offered change and quality and confidence. We chose not to interview

Wood.”

Some of Wood’s fellow trustees said they were disappointed by the move,

calling it a great loss for the library.

“Jim has done an awful lot for the library,” said trustee Bob Knox. “I

thoroughly enjoyed working with him. He’s such an imaginative guy and has

so many great ideas for the library.”

Among other responsibilities, trustees are supposed to work symbiotically

with the foundation. While the nonprofit foundation raises money, it is

the trustees who decide how that money is spent.

However, for nearly a year while Wood was heading the trustees,

frustrations brewed between the two groups over finances. Emotions

reached such a level in October that the dispute finally exploded in a

strongly worded letter from the trustees threatening to sever its ties

with the foundation.

Wood accused the foundation of using nearly 70% of funds raised on

operating costs, an allegation that was later disproved by an audit.

The fight pitting former city politicians and other high profile

residents became so embarrassing that the City Council was finally forced

to step in at the end of January to pull the two entities apart. The

groups finally made amends this spring.

Just after the groups reconciled, Wood found himself at the center of

controversy over the Distinguished Speaker Series. This time, the fight

was over how to pay Brokaw for speaking at the event.

However, with a new trustee and a new chairman stepping up -- as well as

a new foundation chairman -- many are hoping the bickering will end in

the otherwise quiet institution.

According to his application’s statement, trustee candidate Howald offers

to bring a new, innovative perspective to the board.

Bill Adams wrote that he “can assist in strengthening the ties between

the Library Board of Trustees and members of the Newport Beach Public

Library Foundation.”