PASTOR WILLING TO FORGIVE ARCHEOLOGIST; MISSION SCHOOL PLAN DISPUTE UNRESOLVED.

Byline: Jesse Hiestand Daily News Staff Writer

The pastor of the San Buenaventura Mission remained hopeful Monday he could reconcile with an archeologist who abruptly stopped work last week, possibly delaying construction of a new school on the historic site.

``We're kind of letting the dust settle,'' said Monsignor Patrick O'Brien, adding that the question of whether archeologist E. Gary Stickel will rejoin the project ``is still being discussed back and forth.''

``We're going to build the school, I have no question about that. I just don't know who'll be doing the archeology,'' O'Brien said.

After two months of digging, Stickel walked off the job Wednesday, claiming changes in the building plans and interference by mission officials was preventing his team from properly excavating the site.

Stickel could not be reached for comment Monday.

Portions of the mission, which are being dug up in preparation for the construction, must be carefully screened for Chumash artifacts before the city will issue building permits.

Ventura City Planner Tom Figg attempted to resolve the dispute Friday by meeting with a project engineer and representatives of the archeological team and mission.

Although he was unable to resolve the matter, Figg said he had determined that the building plans had not undergone any major changes, one reason Stickel cited for stopping work.

``There have been some minor changes in the plans, such as moving a hole for one of the pilings away from an unearthed old well to avoid disturbing it,'' Figg said.

The areas under excavation are 70 narrow holes where pilings will be placed to support the new school and auditorium, thus eliminating the need to cover the majority of the site with a large concrete foundation.

The mission, founded by Father Junipero Serra in about 1810, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Stickel and a team of a dozen archeologists have discovered a number of Chumash artifacts including beads, shells, a shoe, cannonball and well.

Stickel was not at the meeting Friday. Some of the parties felt it would be improper to have him there because he had essentially quit the project, Figg said.

``What we have here is a breakdown in teamwork,'' Figg said, characterizing this as a contractual matter between the archeologists and mission.

Figg said it was now up to mission officials to reinitiate contact with Stickel and resolve their differences.

Figg said he did not believe this rift would delay groundbreaking, now set for Sept. 24. But building permits will not be issued until more grading work is done and that will require an archeologist to be on site for the earth moving.

The project could go forward if the mission finds a new archeologist or resolves its dispute with Stickel, Figg said.

The main stumbling block to getting building permits has already been cleared. The mission was required to document all the artifacts taken from the site. Figg said this had been done, although it is unclear who has possession of those documents at this point.

O'Brien insists there have been no major design changes or pressure put on the archeologists to rush their job so construction can begin.

``I don't believe the plans have changed,'' he said Friday. ``We're not making as big a fuss of this as he is. He just walked off the site. From our point of view, it's his choice if that's what he wants to do. We're still on target, and the project is still on schedule.''

The project, a $5.5 million expansion of the Holy Cross school, built in 1922, will be completed in two phases: first an auditorium and then a three-story school.