VILLARAIGOSA NOMINATES FIVE NEW PORT COMMISSIONERS.

Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer

SAN PEDRO - Placing a greater emphasis on environmental and community concerns, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on Wednesday nominated five new commissioners to oversee the Port of Los Angeles.

Standing under the Vincent Thomas Bridge, Villaraigosa said he is nominating the former head of the Department of Water and Power - along with four other civic leaders, including two from the San Fernando Valley - to oversee operation of the 7,200-acre port.

``I was looking for decision makers,'' said Villaraigosa, whose choices face confirmation by the City Council. ``I think we will lead the nation and the world in improvements to deal with growth and environmental issues as well.

``We need to bring balance while providing for growth and protecting neighborhoods. We need to change the culture at the port to make it a more conscientious neighbor, to take the port in a new direction.''

The nominees include S. David Freeman, who has a more than 30-year career in public energy and served as head of the DWP during years of energy deregulation. Freeman was a high-profile supporter of Villaraigosa during the recent mayoral campaign.

``I hope all of you have the opportunity, when you are 79 years old, to be asked to perform a public service,'' Freeman said. ``We are going to change the port. We are going to make decisions that are open and transparent and don't come as a surprise to the mayor, the community or the City Council.''

The Harbor Department, along with Airports and DWP, have been subject to a federal criminal investigation into how city contracts are awarded. The department also has been subject to lawsuits and complaints from residents that it conducts too much business behind closed doors.

``I am aware of all that,'' Freeman said. ``That is one of the things we want to change.''

Other nominees include attorney Kaylynn Kim of Northridge, wife of retired Los Angeles Police Department Cmdr. Paul Kim; Jerilyn Lopez Mendoza of North Hollywood, policy director of the Environmental Justice Project Office of Environmental Defense; Doug Krause of Los Angeles, executive vice president of East West Bank; and Joe Radisich of San Pedro, president of the Southern California District Council of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union.

With Freeman, Kim and Mendoza, Villaraigosa said he hoped to make the more environmentally sound decisions at the harbor, the world's eighth-busiest container port.

The mayor said he also had checked whether Krause's bank position would create any conflicts of interest with any of its clients and said he had been assured any problems would be dealt with.

Councilwoman Janice Hahn, whose district includes the port, issued a statement saying she hoped the commission would be able to work with the community and noted disappointment that it did not include more local representation by port neighbors.

The mayor also said he was in no rush to have the panel hire a permanent director for the port. Its day-to-day operations are being overseen by interim general manager Bruce Seaton after the resignation of director Larry Keller.

``I will leave it to this commission to decide,'' Villaraigosa said. ``I will say that this port, the nation's largest, deserves to have the best port director in the world. If that means a worldwide search, then that's what we'll do.''

Rick Orlov, [phone]

rick.orlov(at)dailynews.com