In a closed session, the California Coastal Commission voted 7-5 to fire Executive Director Charles Lester, a move questioned by many including former commissioner Steve Blank who said, “It should have been explained in public.” One commissioner said Lester was entitled to privacy but a legal memo said commissioners could talk about management issues in open meetings but not about past evaluations. (Santa Cruz Sentinel, February 2, 2016, by Michael R. Blood of The Associated Press)
An editorial in the Ventura County Star, February 11, 2016, asserts that Lester’s firing was not kosher given t hat Lester chose to air out his personnel action in public under the Brown Act, California’s open meeting law. Instead against the advice of their attorney the commission heard 10 hours of public testimony for Lester then went into executive session for their final discussion and vote. The editorial said the action hurt hurt the commission, “The harm they have done to the future of the commission and to the trust we have in their ability to appropriately manage our coast is immense.”