Council Hopefuls Become Issue

The four candidates in the race for a Seal Beach City Council seat insist they want to focus on the major issues facing the city, such as the fate of a large parcel of land off the San Gabriel River, whether to keep the utility tax and how to improve ocean water quality.

But an investigation into the alleged misdeeds of incumbent Shawn Boyd has all but overshadowed those concerns, making him a clear focal point of the contest.

The district attorney’s office is looking into whether Boyd violated conflict-of-interest laws after he cast votes on the city-financed purchase of a mobile home park by a nonprofit group even though he had a business relationship with the park’s owner. The ongoing investigation is focused on $104,000 Boyd received from the park owner but allegedly did not disclose.

Boyd admits he has made mistakes while in office but said his overall record on the council has been strong. He has asked voters to “reflect on what I’ve done in the almost four years I’ve been in office, and it’s been a lot.”

He said he helped secure funds for new gas, water and sewer lines in seven alleys in his district and helped obtain grants for a $1.3-million facelift for the Seal Beach Boulevard and Marina Drive area. He also wrote the ordinance that outlawed smoking on the pier.

At a recent candidates forum, Boyd and his three opponents--Charles Antos, Walt Miller and Beverly Pearce--fielded questions about a number of issues facing the city, including the utility users tax, the availability of low-income housing and the future of 10 acres of land owned by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

The DWP property, which has been vacant for more than 30 years, has been approved for seven acres of open space and a hotel on the remaining three acres.

A four-story 300-room hotel was originally proposed for the property, but that plan was scaled down to 150 rooms in a three-story structure. A developer has yet to purchase the property and submit formal plans.

Antos, a former planner for the city and now a planner for Orange County, said he has no problem with the commercial development of the land but worries that it may still be contaminated with asbestos.

“At the time the plan [for the open space and hotel] was adopted no one knew the property was full of asbestos,” Antos said. DWP, which operated a power plant there until the 1960s, reportedly conducted a cleanup of the land, “but I don’t know if it’s all gone. Prior to building we would want to make sure the property is free of asbestos before bulldozers start running around throwing dust with asbestos in the air.”

Antos, 56, said the city should either put to a public vote or eliminate the 11% utility users tax, a large source of revenue for the city that helps pay for police and fire protection, street maintenance and parks. Antos said the tax was about 5% when it was first imposed, but “every time the city needed money, the city increased it. And it never was put to a vote.” The tax is on gas, electricity, telephone and cable television service.

Los Alamitos has chosen to let voters decide the issue with a measure on the March ballot. Stanton put such a tax before voters in November, and it was approved.

Miller, a retired accountant, wants to create a “think tank” of residents who would identify problems in the city and offer grass-roots solutions.

“I have a lot of talent, dedication to offer and I want to bring the City Council back to the city and the people of Seal Beach,” Miller said.

He was unavailable to offer expanded comments on the issues.

Miller has been dogged with questions about whether he is a legal candidate because he has not lived in the city for six years.

Miller, 71, listed a 7th Street address as his primary residence, but he actually lives in Long Beach. He said, however, that he lived in Seal Beach for 23 years and still owns several pieces of property there, including the 7th Street home that he rents to his son.

He added that he will move into his son’s house in order to satisfy the residency requirements.

The Boyd investigation has worked its way into the campaign, but in somewhat muted ways.

Candidate Pearce, 51, in a hint at the allegations against Boyd, said: “I have already disclosed all of my personal financial dealings, and I will continue to do so.”

She also attempted to dispel rumors that she was drafted by an anti-Boyd group to run for his seat.

“I somewhat resent people thinking I was drafted to run for this office,” she said.

Pearce, who was director of housing and economic development in Baldwin Park from 1986 to 1991, said she would like to see the utility users tax lowered to 8% in phases.

The reductions, she said, should be tied to increases in revenue or as expenditures decrease.

The challengers have been reluctant to directly raise the issue of Boyd’s problems publicly. It was Boyd, in fact, who had the most to say about the investigation during the candidates’ forum.

“I haven’t done everything right,” he said. “I don’t think anyone on the council can say that they have....But I’ve never served my personal interests. I’ve served your interests first.”

Boyd’s troubles began after complaints alleging conflict-of-interest violations were lodged by a Seal Beach resident with the district attorney and the state Fair Political Practices Commission in September.

The district attorney’s office launched an investigation in October. In January, armed with search warrants, investigators searched Boyd’s Seal Beach home and an apartment where he has been staying.

They were seeking evidence that links him to Richard Hall, who bought the Seal Beach Trailer Park for $2.9 million in 1998 and sold it two years later to a nonprofit group for $7.4 million, backed by city financing. Boyd abstained from votes regarding the trailer park purchase four times, but voted on the matter at least seven times without disclosing that he worked for Hall on at least two other real estate ventures.

He said he did not reveal his relationship with Hall or abstain from voting because he had not yet been paid for the other ventures and didn’t consider the votes to be a conflict.

At the forum, a contrite Boyd said: “I’m sorry for some of the mistakes I’ve made and I’ve apologized. The bottom line is I care about Seal Beach.”