Visitors bureau picks new publisher amid brouhaha

Tariq Malik

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- The city’s Conference & Visitors Bureau Board of

Directors chose a new publisher for its guide book this week, but again

found itself embroiled in controversy as one bidder withdrew her

proposal, claiming the mayor made threats against her.

Board members heard presentations from six potential applicants.

“The board ultimately chose to go with Axis Marketing Group,” said

Diane Baker, the bureau’s executive director. “I believe it mainly had to

do with the fact that [Axis Marketing owner Tacha Leider] said she could

get the guide out by January.”

On Sept. 6, the bureau terminated its publishing contract with

Coatings Resource Corp. at the request of the City Council and City Atty.

Gail Hutton. The council and Hutton were concerned about a possible

conflict of interest on the behalf of Mayor Dave Garofalo.

The mayor, who is a nonvoting member of the bureau’s board, published

the guide for several years and may have profited from the contract.

Natalie Carlson of Century Publishing withdrew her bid to publish the

guide, saying she had a personal dispute with Garofalo after a Sept. 24

letter to the editor she wrote for a local newspaper concerning the

bureau.

Carlson filed a complaint with the Huntington Beach Police Department

that alleges Garofalo “threatened her with revenge” and used foul

language regarding the letter.

Garofalo dismissed the claims, calling them “absurd.”

Garofalo said Carlson’s letter contained references to a “public

official with major political indiscretions,” although Carlson never

tried to speak to him directly.

“Did she have a right or obligation to call me? No,” he said. “But was

there a moral responsibility? Yes.”

As for the alleged threats, Garofalo said he mentioned that in 24

months he will be out of office, and will try to rebuild his business and

be out in the marketplace.

“If that can be construed as a threat, then I don’t know,” he said.

Other applicants for the publishing job were Costa Mesa publishers

Where Magazine and FanCorp, and local companies Team Publishing, Century

Publishing and Air Quality Consultants Inc., which is owned by Jeff

Laird.

Bureau officials said Laird’s company is part of Coatings Resource,

although the publisher maintained he had no previous affiliation with

either the bureau or the city and its elected officials.

During her winning presentation for the visitor’s guide, Leider told

board members the Newport Beach-based firm was ready to start immediately

if chosen and could publish the visitors guide by January, three months

earlier than bureau officials expected.

Axis Marketing, she added, will establish an image of Huntington Beach

to appeal to residents, children and families, and will show the city has

fresh ideas.

Bureau officials expected the search for the new publisher to delay

the production of the visitors guide by at least a few months. It was

originally expected to be published by Dec. 31.