HE'S JUST WILD ABOUT CHARTERS; REFORM PANEL'S DIRECTOR FASCINATED BY POLICY.

Byline: Patrick McGreevy Daily News Staff Writer

Many Los Angeles residents would not likely confuse the experience of reading the 700-page City Charter with speeding through the latest thriller on the best-seller list, but for C. Edward Dilkes, the city document holds great interest.

Dilkes confesses to being one of the few people outside of city government who have read the 75-year-old charter from cover to cover and who are still fascinated by its contents.

That is largely why Los Angeles' elected Charter Reform Commission selected Dilkes last week as its executive director, putting the 55-year-old attorney in a key position for rewriting the city's constitution.

``It was clear to us on the commission that this man lives, breathes, sleeps and eats city charters,'' said Commissioner Janice Hahn, ``and it's hard to find someone that has that kind of passion about city government and our city.''

`Thrill of my lifetime'

Dilkes, who had attended commission meetings even before he was offered the job, said he is excited by the prospect of playing a role in the two-year process.

``The opportunity to participating in this is just the thrill of my lifetime,'' he said.

Dilkes, who is a partner in the law firm of Richards, Watson and Gershon, has been interested in city government and politics for three decades, but it was not always so.

Described today by those who know him as the ultimate policy wonk, Dilkes left his native Philadelphia in 1960 to study biology at Occidental College, with plans to go on to medical school.

Although he earned the biology degree, something happened along the way to send him on a different road.

Dilkes had been active in student government at Occidental when he went to work as a volunteer on the campaign to defend the California Fair Housing Act.

``I was very upset about the lack of leadership in California,'' he said of his experience fighting for the housing law.

Lifetime in leadership

A professor who understood his frustration recommended that Dilkes apply to the CORO Foundation, a nonprofit program that trains people for leadership positions in public affairs.

Dilkes was a CORO intern assigned to observe the operations of the Los Angeles Fire Department right after the 1965 Watts riots. He was impressed and fascinated by what he saw of the large public safety department's operations.

After his internship, Dilkes went to work on the team that created a form of city government for Palos Verdes Estates.

``I got to help set up that government,'' he said.

Dilkes went on to get his law degree from the University of Southern California. Much of his career since then has been devoted to municipal law.

His law firm advises 31 cities, and Dilkes himself is the contract city attorney for the city of Bradbury.

Although he has no interest in running for elective office, Dilkes said he enjoys doing the behind-the-scenes staff work that allows organizations to operate.

``I love bringing people together to get something done,'' Dilkes said.

Dilkes was part of a campaign by the Junior Chamber of Commerce to review the charter 26 years ago, and he is hopeful a new charter will actually result from the latest effort.

Dilkes also worked as a volunteer providing advice on charter issues for Mayor Richard Riordan's re-election campaign this year, where he worked closely with former Deputy Mayor Mike Keeley.

Keeley was a top adviser to Riordan on the charter reform initiative that created the elected commission, so it is no surprise that the Riordan camp is pleased by Dilkes' selection as executive director.

``Having his broad background and the knowledge of how the city works, I think, is a great asset for the commission,'' said Studio City attorney David Fleming, a co-sponsor of the initiative.

Family man

A resident of The Oaks section of Los Angeles, where he sometimes meets neighbor Keeley for breakfast to discuss city government, Dilkes and his wife have two grown children.

In his new role, Dilkes will receive about $100,000 per year from the commission, which he said is less than one-third the amount of his salary at the law firm.

Dilkes' selection came a week after the commission voted tentatively to offer the job to USC dean H. Eric Schockman, who declined the job because it conflicted with his other duties.

Dilkes is noncommittal on what form of government he believes is best suited to Los Angeles.

The attorney said the current City Charter has ``a less than complete process of accountability'' and results in a ``less than satisfactory delivery of goods and services.''