Another Aide to Bradley Quits Key Post Abruptly

A veteran aide and Eastside representative of Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley abruptly resigned Thursday, only one month after being elevated to a key economic development post in the mayor’s office.

Art Gastelum, 40, who has been with Bradley’s office for 17 years, will depart today to take a position with Somma Mattress Co., a large Los Angeles water bed manufacturer headed by Angel Echevarria, a longtime Bradley supporter and one of the mayor’s city utility commissioners. Gastelum, who earned $73,000 a year in the mayor’s office, said he accepted a “good offer that I had been working on for some time.”

But the announcement, which came after a private meeting of Gastelum, Bradley and Deputy Mayor Mark Fabiani on Wednesday, surprised many City Hall observers, including employees of the mayor’s economic development office, which Gastelum took over Feb. 1. A secretary in Gastelum’s office said she was “shocked” by the news.

Gastelum’s resignation is among a number of departures recently by key staffers in the mayor’s office. Deputy Mayor Michael Gage resigned in November to take a job with a developer and former Deputy Mayor Grace Davis, another longtime liaison to the Latino community, retired last month.

Gastelum was at the center of an embarrassing political controversy for the mayor’s office in recent weeks. The Times recently reported Gastelum’s plan to develop 5,000 units of affordable teacher housing at a former reservoir site in Chatsworth, a swath of open space popular with residents of the northern San Fernando Valley. The idea, quickly played down by Bradley’s office, triggered a storm of opposition from homeowner groups, environmentalists and the area’s councilman, Hal Bernson.

Bernson said Gastelum met with him a few days ago and apologized for the handling of the matter. But Bernson said he had “no hint whatsoever” in recent days that Gastelum was leaving. He said he did not know if the Chatsworth controversy was related, but added, “it could be. . . . Obviously he was the guy that wore the horns that they laid it on. It did create quite a stir out here in the Valley that was not terrifically beneficial to the mayor.”

Bradley spokesman Bill Chandler denied that the controversy was a factor in Gastelum’s departure. Gastelum said he was “disappointed” that his idea to develop teacher housing was killed so quickly, but said the flap did not influence his decision.

Gastelum said he had been excited about his new job in the mayor’s office but that Echevarria wanted a decision.

He said he expects the mayor’s office to pursue some of the projects he helped launch, including developing low-cost teacher housing and a requirement that major builders, such as New York businessman Donald Trump, target a portion of their investment in economically depressed areas.

Bradley said Gastelum had been a “dedicated” employee and, “I hate to lose his talents. His commitment to residents of the city of Los Angeles has benefited many, especially those in low-income communities.”

Echevarria said Gastelum has been appointed to a new position of director of planning and development, and Gastelum said he would oversee the firm’s plans for facilities.

Eastside Councilman Richard Alatorre said he was not surprised by the resignation and said he had been told by Gastelum months ago that he was looking at job offers.

Gastelum, a resident of San Marino, joined Bradley’s office in 1973 and served as a liaison with the Latino community and an administrative coordinator.

In recent years, he has been the mayor’s coordinator for the departments of Parks and Recreation and Water and Power, where Echevarria is serving his second term as a commissioner. He received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Cal State Los Angeles and a master’s degree in public administration from USC.

In a prepared statement, Gastelum said he looked forward to supporting and consulting with the the mayor in the future.

Chandler said Gastelum indicated that his new salary will be “well into the six figures.”