COLLEGES' P.R. CUT TOO SMALL FOR CRITICS.

Byline: Lisa M. Sodders Staff Writer

The cash-strapped Los Angeles Community College District plans to hire a public-relations firm, MWW Group, for $240,000 a year - considerably less than what it paid to Fleishman-Hillard, the firm whose city billings have been questioned.

Despite the cut in image-boosting spending, critics still say the district is being extravagant with taxpayer money. The LACCD is required by law to update the public on its $2.2 billion construction program funded under propositions A and AA. District officials have sought pricey, well-connected public-relations firms to help get the message out.

Officials in the district and MWW Group, headed by veteran political consultant Harvey Englander, refused to comment on the scope of the contract - including how it would differ from the $395,000 annual contract the district had with Fleishman-Hillard.

Political observers question why the college district needs to hire high- powered external consultants to do the job when it already spends about $340,000 a year on six public-relations staff members.

``They're headed in the right direction,'' Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, said about shaving $150,000 from the contract. ``But here's a better idea: Why don't they just build the projects they promised on time and on budget? You build the credibility without the spin.''

Bob Stern, president of the Center for Governmental Studies, a nonpartisan research firm, also questioned the cost-effectiveness of hiring outside consultants, particularly for a building program expected to run through 2011.

``If it's going to be an ongoing thing, why don't they just hire more employees?'' he said. ``They could get about three P.R. people to be on staff, accountable to them, working full time. I just don't see it's cost- effective to go outside.''

The district has a public-relations director, an assistant to the director and an on-site P.R. staff member at each of four of the district's nine community colleges: Los Angeles Valley, Pierce, Mission and Harbor.

The district board is expected to vote on the contract at an Oct. 6 meeting after a presentation by MWW Group.

Englander's firm has counted Browning-Ferris Industries, the city of El Segundo and a host of local politicians among its clients.

Fleishman-Hillard, which is being sued by city government for allegedly overbilling under a $3 million-a-year Department of Water and Power contract, did not bid to renew its contract with the college district.

District officials said the in-house P.R. staff could not have produced the volume of materials Fleishman-Hillard did and that a professional firm is required to navigate the complex Los Angeles media market.

Despite the city's lawsuit against Fleishman, college district officials insisted they were pleased with the firm's work and, in an internal audit, found no overbilling or other discrepancies.

``We're breaking up, but we decided to stay friends,'' board member Michael D. Waxman joked at the board's Sept. 22 meeting. ``We all feel Fleishman-Hillard has done a great job for us.''

Fleishman-Hillard officials presented a final, wrap-up report at that meeting and presented a 3-inch-thick binder containing samples of the brochures, a three-minute video on sustainable design and press releases, as well as newspaper and magazine articles that they helped generate, for the 12 months through August.

Fleishman-Hillard also provided the board with strategic counsel and developed letters, talking points and PowerPoint presentations for the district staff to aid in community outreach.

Lisa M. Sodders, [phone]

lisa.sodders(at)dailynews.com