CHICK TO REPLACE CHAIRMAN OF VAN NUYS AIRPORT CITIZENS PANEL.

Byline: David R. Baker and Lisa Van Proyen Daily News Staff Writers

Los Angeles City Councilwoman Laura Chick said Thursday she will replace the chairman of the Van Nuys Airport Citizens Advisory Council, George Jerome.

Noting that he has served on the panel for five years, Chick said it was time to appoint someone new to the council.

``I like to spread the opportunity for leadership around,'' she said.

Jerome countered that he is being replaced at the urging of another advisory member, Gerald Silver, who expressed to Chick that he wanted Jerome out.

``(Silver) made the threat to me six months ago that he would get me off the council,'' Jerome said, adding that the new-blood excuse doesn't make sense since several other board members have served for nearly 10 years.

Silver denied Jerome's claims, although he acknowledged that he did not believe he was treated fairly by the chair.

``That's not true, of course. I never threatened him to get off the council,'' Silver said. ``I was unhappy with the way I was treated on the council because I had numerous issues that I wanted put on the agenda, which he refused to address.''

One of those refusals came shortly before a meeting scheduled earlier this week, he said.

Silver had requested in writing that the advisory council discuss a recent incident in which members of Valley VOTE, of which Silver is also a member, had been ejected from the airport's annual air show in July while trying to circulate petitions.

Jerome said he never received Silver's request for an agenda item on the matter. Jerome canceled the meeting.