RIORDAN PUTS TIGHT LID ON SECESSION DATA; MAYOR PLACES CITYHOOD STUDY INFORMATION UNDER DIRECT CONTROL OF CITY HALL OFFICIALS.

Byline: Beth Barrett Daily News Staff Writer

In only the 10th executive order of his six years in office, Mayor Richard Riordan has imposed tight controls on what city financial information will be shared with the agency overseeing cityhood for the San Fernando Valley.

Riordan ordered all department heads to funnel all data intended for the Local Agency Formation Commission study through interim City Administrative Officer Paul Cauley, Chief Legislative Analyst Ron Deaton and the Mayor's Office.

Long concerned that the city's resistance to secession would lead to a lack of cooperation in the study, Valley Voters Organized Toward Empowerment leaders saw the executive order Wednesday as the first step in a ``gag order'' intended to discourage bureaucrats from dealing directly with LAFCO staffers or consultants.

``I think it's a fair interpretation when no information can go to LAFCO or the public without the consent of the CAO and the CLA that that will have a chilling effect on the distribution of important public information,'' said Valley VOTE chairman Richard Close.

``The filter process sends a subtle, or not so subtle message: Don't talk to the public without the clearance of the CAO or the CLA.''

A copy of the May 11 executive order obtained Wednesday showed that Riordan, an outspoken secession opponent, had told department heads that all responses for the LAFCO study must first be reviewed and, if necessary, revised, by Cauley, Deaton and Riordan's office.

The directive states the procedures are necessary to ensure coordination of the information, as well as to be able to defend and explain the facts provided.

We must ensure ``that our efforts are coordinated,'' Riordan wrote.

Cauley, who according to the directive would oversee the data collection, refused to discuss the matter.

Mayoral Chief of Staff Kelly Martin said the directive is a ``good faith'' effort to come up with a procedure that will provide information in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

``This is overblown,'' she said. ``This is just a way to coordinate responses. Usually when people want a bunch of information they normally want to know where the coordination point will be.''

Kelly said neither LAFCO nor Valley VOTE was notified of the directive because it was considered to be a ``purely internal'' organizational tool. She added that the Mayor's Office felt it was being responsive to the concerns of LAFCO and Valley VOTE that there be an identified place to put forward requests and to receive information.

She said LAFCO consultants likely would interview managers directly, though probably in the presence of a person from one of the coordinating offices.

``We've made a good-faith commitment to work cooperatively and to get the facts out, and this directive is totally consistent with that. There is nothing sinister about this, about having a central collection point. Many times we have coordinated things through the CAO. We think the facts need to get out.''

Deaton, the council's top adviser, said the city should be able to present its view of the information, but added he sees no problem in theory to LAFCO having direct access to managers.

However, Valley Councilwoman Laura Chick said the process represents a ``kind of behind-closed-doors'' approach that excludes the public.

She said she wants a council committee that would oversee LAFCO's request for information and the city's responses, thereby providing public forums.

Chick said a committee appointed by council President John Ferraro would give the public and council a chance to see the information and allow for a broader consideration of contrasting viewpoints.

``I want to make sure information is provided in an expedient, accurate, fair and appropriate manner,'' Chick said. ``It certainly should not be left up to city staff.''

Larry Calemine, LAFCO's executive officer, said state law allows the agency to ask for city information, but does not specify a procedure or penalty for failure to comply.

Calemine said the commission likely would test the city and perhaps even the law if it feels stonewalling by the city is taking place, but until then would refrain from trying to guess its motivations.

``I have to take the position that all parties will be honorable and cooperative until there is evidence to the contrary,'' he said.

General managers, some of whom said they hadn't paid much attention to the directive, said they were unsure how to interpret it. Some said that in the absence of any LAFCO requests to date they have not set up the internal procedures specified by the mayor, including designating a high-ranking department point person.

Tony DeClue, assistant general manager in the Department of General Services, said the department is ``obliged to follow the instructions.''

He said the department - which is responsible for some 800 buildings, more than 9,000 vehicles and about 25 aircraft - will work out a system after the first requests for information arrive.

``We'll run the first one up the flagpole and see what works,'' he said.