NEWSMAKER OF THE YEAR

Tariq Malik

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times ... it was the

year 2000 for Dave Garofalo.

Midway through his term as mayor, the Huntington Beach councilman

wound up under multiple investigations by the Orange County district

attorney’s office, the county grand jury and the state’s Fair Political

Practices Commission for alleged conflicts of interest while voting on

City Council issues.

Coupled up with the county and state investigators tracing his steps,

the residents Garofalo has sworn to protect, many disturbed by his

alleged actions, launched a recall effort, which if successful, would be

the first recall of a Surf City council member.

To top it off, one of Garofalo’s most vocal critics and political

foes, Debbie Cook, was elected in November along with environmentalist

Connie Boardman, edging out his longtime friend Bill Borden.

“Basically he’s a lame duck and has to go,” said Sandra Cole, a member

of the city’s Mobile Home Advisory Board and one of the leaders of the

recall effort. “He’s destroyed the trust of the people.”

Garofalo, though, explains away the charges as just the work of his

enemies.

“I feel that this whole thing has been the effort of mean-spirited

politicals to distract me from my mission on the council,” he said. And

he believes it is no coincidence that the mudslinging began during his

mayoral term.

The allegations surfaced last June when City Atty. Gail Hutton began

investigating Garofalo over possible conflicts of interest stemming from

his business, David P. Garofalo & Associates. Garofalo’s business owned

publishing rights for the Huntington Beach Conference & Visitors Bureau’s

visitors guide for several years starting in 1993.

Hutton then forwarded her concerns to the state’s Fair Political

Practices Commission, and a month later the Orange County district

attorney’s office and grand jury began separate investigations, which are

still going on.

Although he sold his guide publishing rights to longtime friend Ed

Laird’s Coatings Resource Corp. in 1998, Garofalo may have profited from

the contract and had conflicts of interests when he voted on projects put

forward by businesses that advertise in the publication.

Controversy also swirled around his purchase of a home two years ago

in the exclusive St. Augustine tract at Holly Seacliff.

Garofalo purchased the home from the developer, also an advertiser in

the guide, then immediately sold it to fellow churchgoer, friend and gas

station mogul George Pearson for $1.

But the deal angered many who say he used VIP treatment to secure the

prime $500,000 lot, make $60,000 in upgrades and sell the home to

Pearson.

Today, the councilman regularly abstains from issues that may pose a

potential conflict of interest, and has almost completely divested

himself from the publishing business with the exception of print

brokering.

Garofalo supporters have largely remained in the woodwork, though a

handful spoke on his behalf over the summer, a fact the former mayor

attributes to the unpleasant experience of media attention.

But some, like Laird and local developer John Tillotson, have spoken

out.

“I’ve known [Garofalo] long before he got onto the council, and you

don’t just abandon your friends when they’re in trouble,” Tillotson said,

adding he’s known Garofalo for about 30 years. “It’s important to realize

he is a person, with frailties and strengths like you and me, but his

intentions have always been good.”

When Garofalo stepped up to the mayor’s seat a year ago, he made

history as the city’s first Italian mayor, as well as the first council

leader of the new millennium.

The 31-year Surf City resident had already tucked five years of

council experience under his belt, with his first election win in 1994

and a successful bid for reelection four years later.

He came in with eyes wide open and aimed at addressing environmental

issues, as well as bolstering economic and community development.

The city’s revenue from sales and property taxes has increased in the

six years he’s served on the council.

“The chief goal this year was to bring people together,” Garofalo said

of his mayoral term. “And I think we accomplished that.”

But the brass soon rubbed off those buttons.

Aside from the litany of charges and investigations, Garofalo had

plenty to deal with in his personal life.

He underwent open heart surgery for a double bypass in May, spent time

with 29-year-old son Kevin, who suffers from chronic and severe medical

problems, and gave his daughter, Nancy Gray, 21, away at her wedding.

Despite his controversial term as mayor, Garofalo is steadfast in his

commitment to his post as councilman and the city as a whole.

“I’ve spent my life doing this type of work, and I’m not about to

throw it away because of some votes on the City Council,” he said. “I

sought legal advice whenever there were questions on an issue, and

followed that advice. I’m fighting the perception of wrongdoing and the

belief that public service is a less than honest path.”

That fight crystallized in October, when some of his opponents, led by

Cole, leveled their intent to recall him from office.

The recall leaders reasoned that in addition to the conflict charges

swirling around him, Garofalo’s mandatory abstentions prevent him from

voting on crucial city issues, rendering him ineffective as a leader.

But Cole’s challenge has only managed to fire up Garofalo, who said he

looks forward to campaigning for himself during a recall election next

spring should the effort go that far.

And the upcoming new year will bring more good things to look forward

to, he added.

“I think the focus of next year is going to be bringing people closer

together.”