PALMDALE CHAMBER OUSTS 13; PRESIDENT CALLS THEM ABUSIVE; EXPULSION CHALLENGED.

Byline: Bhavna Mistry Daily News Staff Writer

The Palmdale Chamber of Commerce has expelled three directors and 10 members, who charged that their removal was unjustified, in violation of chamber bylaws and the result of an internal power struggle.

But chamber President Cheryl Duggan said the members were removed for abusive behavior toward the chamber's paid staff - behavior that could have posed problems for the chamber as an employer.

``It was a situation where we were going to lose all of our staff,'' said Duggan, saying that the four paid staff members had lodged complaints. ``It was the type of situation that warranted them to be removed.''

The members were removed March 11 in a vote by the chamber board, Duggan said. The removal was not disclosed publicly until the ousted members called a news conference late Tuesday.

While refusing to provide details, Duggan said the ousted members had harassed paid chamber employees over a number of years.

But some of the ousted members said they were removed to prevent them from running for director seats at a chamber election now under way for six seats on the 21-member board.

Of 15 members who petitioned to become board candidates, the board removed seven - including two former presidents, one former chief ambassador, a vice president of membership and the corporate secretary.

``They don't want us to question what we're doing,'' said Janet Varner, who served as corporate secretary. ``We express opinion. We question authority. We don't go along like puppets.''

Ousted member Bernie Longjohn, a former chamber president, questioned Duggan's explanation that the members were removed for abusing chamber staff.

``Why wasn't it taken care of when it happened?'' said Longjohn, of L.A. County Raceway. ``Nothing was brought to life until it was time to run for director.''

In a letter to the chamber board on behalf of the three ousted directors - Alan's Flowers owner Alan Coon, Ryan's Insurance owner Don Ryan and Varner of Robinson's Design Firm - attorney A. Donald Long said directors cannot be removed by their fellow board members - only by a vote of the membership.

``I have concluded that chambers are often used more for ego gratification than community service,'' Long wrote. ``Politics, particularly petty politics, and cliques abound in nearly all chambers.''

He added: ``Even in light of my personal opinion regarding chambers of commerce, I am surprised at the blatant politically motivated, Star Chamber proceeding now being attempted by the Palmdale Chamber of Commerce against three of its directors.''

The chamber members removed were Longjohn, Tim Shpall, Robert and Judi Bennett, Cynthia and Frank Garcia, Michael Hill, Dianna Pangburn, and David and Rita Yatsko.

Hill and Shpall had been asked to resign from the board of directors last spring after a prank in which they pulled down their pants and ``mooned'' other chamber volunteers in the parking lot outside a chamber-sponsored circus performance.

Longjohn, an outgoing director and Shpall's employer, spoke against asking for their resignations, saying a reprimand was sufficient.