Una organización de La Jolla acusada de prácticas electorales injustas debe permitir que dos finalistas se sienten en su junta, dictaminó un juez el viernes 8 de febrero.
“Este podría ser el comienzo de la reforma de Promotion La Jolla”, dijo Steve Haskins, abogado de los dos demandantes.
Después de escuchar los argumentos de ambas partes, el juez John S. Meyer concluyó que Nancy Warwick y Bob Collins, "dos dueños de negocios de La Jolla que se postularon en una elección de Promotion La Jolla en octubre de 2007", ocuparán dos vacantes en la junta de Promotion La Jolla (PLJ). de Directores.
Attorneys for PLJ, the not-for-profit business improvement district for the village of La Jolla, argued that although both Collins and Warwick could fill vacancies left by two members who were found to be ineligible, that alternative would disenfranchise the voters. They asked the judge for a new election.
Meyer dijo que el problema parecía simple.
Después de que dos personas que habían estado en la junta directiva durante años "" Izzy Tihanyi y Gregory Rizzi "" fueran declaradas inelegibles, renunciaron a su mandato.
Meyer dijo que el siguiente paso sería “dar esos puestos a los siguientes más votados”.
En lo que respecta a las vacantes, dijo Meyer, PLJ podría haber designado personas para completar su mandato anterior. Pero Warwick y Collins ocuparían los puestos este próximo período.
“Parece obvio, al menos para mí”, dijo Meyer. "Esto parece bastante sencillo".
The judge chastised the attorneys for Promote La Jolla, saying the board violated the bylaws when PLJ refused to allow Warwick and Collins to sit on the board of directors.
The La Jolla organization ferreted out the two members after a letter sent to PLJ President Deborah Marengo pointed out they were ineligible, mainly for their locations outside the PLJ district.
“How did these candidates get on the board in the first place?” Meyer asked.
Attorneys representing the La Jolla organization argued semantics, saying the board did not make a mistake. The lawyers also said the PLJ board is allowed to appoint a person to fill a vacancy, according to its bylaws.
After reading the bylaws, Myer said PLJ could not appoint a new board member every time there was a resignation.
“That would essentially make the election a sham, wouldn’t it?” Meyer asked. “Why not just have people resign, then appoint whoever you want?”
After listening to discussion between the two side’s attorneys, who tried to slide in La Jolla’s long-standing issue of paid on-street parking, the judge said this was a clinical issue, not a parking issue. He ruled in favor of Warwick and Collins.
Shauna L. Durrant, una de los dos abogados que representan a PLJ, le dijo al juez que apelaría si seguía adelante con su decisión.
“El tribunal debería ordenar una nueva elección, de lo contrario apelaremos”, dijo Durrant. “Solicito una suspensión de 10 días de la orden, para que podamos perfeccionar una apelación”.
While running up an escalator away from the courtroom, Durrant declined any further comment. Although she told the judge she would appeal, she said she wasn’t sure what actions she would take on behalf of Promote La Jolla.
Warwick and Collins continue to wait for the judge to sign the order, Haskins said.
“The order has not been signed by the judge yet so there’s nothing we can do,” he said Wednesday morning.
Later that day, PLJ’s monthly meeting was scheduled. Haskins said his clients were in legal limbo but should be sitting on the board by “next week sometime.”
Although Meyer hadn’t signed the permanent order, Collins said yesterday that he and Warwick would attend the PLJ meeting later that day.
“We’re going to go to the meeting, and we’re going to see what they do,” Collins said. “If they choose not to seat us based on this technicality, I think Nancy and I will not say much to the issue.”
Collins said many supporters planned to attend the meeting with him and Warwick.
“I think if they want to wait another month, that will not sit too well with the audience,” he said.
Promote La Jolla meets the second Wednesday of every month at 3 p.m. at La Valencia hotel, 1132 Prospect St.
For more information, go to www.lajollabythesea.com.