HEAD OF ELECTED REFORM PANEL RESIGNS.

Byline: Patrick McGreevy Daily News Staff Writer

Concerned about looming deadlines for reshaping the way Los Angeles city government runs, the elected Charter Reform Commission announced a shake-up Wednesday that includes replacing its executive director.

Attorney C. Edward Dilkes has resigned as executive director and instead will provide part-time legal advice to the panel. Geoffrey Garfield has been named as the commission's new administrative director.

Garfield formerly served as assistant deputy mayor for Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan and later as communications director for the Police Protective League.

Regardless of the shake-up, the panel is on schedule to complete its study of the charter by January and put forward draft changes for public debate by July, said commission Chairman Erwin Chemerinsky.

The commission was created by Los Angeles voters in April to recommend a new city charter. The panel is working at the same time that a separate commission, appointed by the City Council, also drafts recommendations for a new charter.

Chemerinsky praised Dilkes, but said the attorney had continued work with a law firm and could not devote enough time to the commission's administrative duties.

``We felt a need to have a full-time, on-the-site administrator,'' Chemerinsky said. ``The demands of his law practice are such that we felt it was best if he stay with us in a role requiring less time.''

One source close to the commission said there was concern about whether Dilkes could handle the day-to-day administrative duties necessary for the commission to come up with a new city charter by next summer.

``He is a lawyer, not an administrator,'' one commissioner said.

Garfield has administrative experience and has run political campaigns, which is important because any recommended charter reforms eventually will go to the voters.

In addition, the commission announced it has named H. Eric Schockman as a policy coordinator for the panel who will serve on a pro bono basis.

Schockman, a political scientist at the University of Southern California, was originally considered for the executive director's job before Dilkes was hired.