CITY CALLS ATTORNEY ON CARPET; S. FERNANDO OFFICIAL UPSET ABOUT ADVICE.

Byline: Yvette Cabrera Daily News Staff Writer

The San Fernando City Council is scheduled to meet today to discuss possibly firing or disciplining its city attorney just weeks after his firm provided legal advice that may have saved the city from litigation, council members said.

City Councilman Richard Ramos said he called for the special session today because he was upset with the manner in which City Attorney Arnoldo Beltran has handled various issues over the past month.

But Councilwoman Cindy Montanez said she has not seen any evidence that would call for the dismissal of the city attorney. On the contrary, she said, Beltran and his firm guided the council members in their decision to rescind a recent controversial vote regarding the city's effort to bring a major theater complex to the northeast San Fernando Valley.

``Why anyone would be upset with the city attorney when they were protecting the interests of the city, I don't know,'' said Montanez.

``Had we not redone the decision we could have had a large lawsuit and an unstable development. I think (Beltran's) legal advice saved the residents a lot of money and from potential litigation and it showed that they were working in the best interest of the City Council,'' said Montanez.

Beltran, with the Los Angeles law firm of Beltran Leal & Medina, said he was informed Thursday of the meeting and was surprised because none of the council members had expressed any dissatisfaction with him.

``We serve at the prerogative of the majority of the council and we abide by their wishes,'' said Beltran, whose firm of 12 lawyers also represents the cities of Huntington Park, South El Monte and Commerce. ``I wish it was made clear to us why it is or how is it that they're not satisfied.''

The firm was hired in 1997.

In its role as the redevelopment agency board, the council voted at a closed session in April to enter into an exclusive negotiation agreement with a Burbank-based contractor, V.G. Industrial/Commercial Real Estate, to build the theater complex.

The decision angered many residents who said community input was not sought.

Later that month, by a 3-2 vote, the council revoked its previous action on the advice of Beltran and reopened the bidding process for the theater complex, said Montanez. Council members Silverio Robledo and Beverly Di Tomaso cast the dissenting votes.

Although some of the council members felt the original vote was rushed through by Robledo in an effort to bring V.G. Industrial into the project as quickly as possible, Robledo denied this. He explained he was comfortable with the quick pace because he has a background in development and real estate issues.

``I'm not trying to ram anything down,'' said Robledo. ``V.G. Industrial came on their own. They saw an opportunity in the development. They presented (their proposal), and that's what the full council saw.''

V.G. Industrial proposed an 18-screen movie theater complex in conjunction with a department store, La Curacao. The only other proposal was submitted by San Fernando-based Pueblo Contracting Services Inc., which proposed a theater complex of no more than 10 screens, plus restaurants and office tenants.

Robledo said he supported V.G. Industrial's proposal based on experience and the possibility that the city might have to subsidize the theater project.

Di Tomaso declined to comment on today's meeting, and Councilman Jose Hernandez could not be reached for comment.