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September 10, 2009 | 3:37 pm
Leadership, the Autry, and the Bigger Picture
Posted by David A. Lehrer
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Our recent blog about the vacuum in municipal leadership must have struck a raw nerve. Councilman Huizar, the major culprit in the Autry renovation fiasco, had his press aide email Jewish Journal higher ups to complain about “mischaracterizations” in my piece. He didn’t copy me or bother to write on the blog.
He objected to the assertion, as reported in the Los Angeles Times and widely understood elsewhere, that Huizar demanded that the Autry support the Southwest Museum “in perpetuity.” The aide wrote that Huizar “never, not once, said this [in perpetuity].”
On countless occasions during this years-long process, Huizar made clear that the Autry needed to make a legally enforceable, long-term commitment to the Southwest Museum—-the financially strapped museum in his district. For a long period of time, Huizar was amenable to the Southwest being a mixed use facility. On the day of one of the last hearings in this six year drama, he insisted that the Southwest be maintained strictly as a museum.
Huizar used his considerable leverage to pressure the one source he could to invest in a facility that couldn’t maintain itself and for which there were no takers. He overplayed his hand and is now quasi- denying that he did what he did.
What the Huizar aide missed in his response, is the larger point in the blog—-real leadership would have made sure that a compromise emerged, that both sides got an agreement they could live with. Real leadership wouldn’t whine, as the aide did, that the Autry didn’t “follow up” after the Council committee made its excessive demand. A serious leader would have made sure that common ground was found—-not wait for the phone to ring.
Instead, the Autry lost, the Southwest lost, the public lost and the absence of leaders capable of making reason prevail remains glaringly obvious.
There are issues beyond the Autry that dramatize this vacuum in local leadership—-the City’s underfunded pensions and the failure to grapple with the implications of that looming disaster, the recent Measure B fiasco, the Metrorail rail car purchasing mess, even the inability to decide on a vendor from whom to purchase golf carts for the city’s municipal golf courses. Where is the leadership that says it’s time for a change?
Let’s all grow up and deal with the problems we face and not follow the politically expedient course that President Obama warned about last night, “the politically safe move would be to kick the can further down the road – to defer reform one more year, or one more election, or one more term.” We should demand that our leaders stop kicking (and whining) and start leading.
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David, you are addressing a long-time problem in Los Angeles, which has largely been swept under the rug. Civic leadership would not allow good ideas to be abandoned. Civic leadership would supervise dialogue among diverse interests. Civic leadership would relish concrete achievements. Keep up the good work. Speak loudly and often. Perhaps someone will be listening!
Councilman Huizar is showing leadership in his simple demand that the Autry stick to the original merger agreement. A clear plan for the success of the Southwest Museum was arrived at by the Autry itself, and then they buried it so that they could move forward with their expansion on public park land. What the people of Los Angeles have won, so far, is the preservation of some of our precious land. Our current dilemma is all the Autry’s failure and underhandedness, and none of Huizar’s.
Well said, David…but what ‘leaders’? Just because a person gets elected does not a leader make. It’s sad…wish others who are not elected, would take the bull by the horns and make something happen…firstly, not to donate to gutless politicians’ campaigns.
David,
How do you feel about the new Museum of the Holocaust being built on City park land (Pan Pacific park) as I type this? Over the objection of parks users? For a rent of…. $1 per year, I believe?
What is your stand on this project? And more importantly, does this sound familiar?
I would say that people have to try to learn basic skills in Leadership otherwise there will be a failure and consequences.
Great post. Quick question. When you said the Autry renovation fiasco, did you mean the Autry court renovation?
Very nice article, i enjoyed reading a lot.. thanks Royal Suites Turquesa by Palladium
The Autry renovation fiasco has affected many lives. I judt hope they’ve learned their lesson.
That’s true. I heard it was a 23 million was allotted for the renovation.
The Autry never wanted to negotiate or come up with a compromise. They wend to the press with their withdrawal of plans after only one discussion with Huizar after he offered to come up with a compromise. You are wrong David. The Autry’s legions of well paid media specialists spinned it after they realized they didn’t have the $ to do Autry expansion and this would be a good way out—blame it on someone else.
On February 7, 2007, a $23 million renovation of Autry court was announced by Rice University. On July 29, 2008, Rice unveiled the new name of the arena, Tudor Fieldhouse, within a press release outlining non-conference opponents for the upcoming basketball season
Thanks for all the information guys, it really helps.
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Autry’s Decision to a Complete Closure of the Southwest Museum Shuts Off All Public Access to the First Museum in LA;
Autry Returns Scarce State Funding Secured for Southwest Museum
Statement from Friends of the Southwest Museum Coalition
LOS ANGELES (December 16, 2009) – “The revelation that Autry intends to ‘quietly’ completely close the Southwest Museum to the general public on December 31st is the latest proof of Autry’s continued disrespect to our community, to the City of Los Angeles and to the history of the Southwest,” said Nicole Possert, Chairperson for the Friends of the Southwest Museum Coalition.
In 2003, Autry merged with the Southwest Museum with the stated intent to save the Southwest Museum institution. In the ensuing seven years, Autry has done just the opposite. It has not complied with the legal merger agreement and Autry’s pattern of contrarian actions proves that they never intended to stay and continue to operate the first museum in Los Angeles.
“This is the last stab in Autry’s ‘death by a 1,000 cuts’ strategy to kill the first museum in Los Angeles and take for themselves the priceless Southwest Museum Collection,” continued Possert. “Wake up Los Angeles. Our history is unnecessarily going away.”
This news piles on top of more negative news and a financial red-flag alert. Autry recently returned scarce grant funds to the State of California for over $160,000 to waterproof the historic tunnel entrance to the Southwest Museum – the entryway with unique dioramas used by schoolchildren coming by bus and visitors using public transportation (Southwest Museum Metro Gold station and Metro Bus lines are immediately adjacent).
The Friends of the Southwest Museum Coalition had originally supported that grant request and is alarmed by Autry’s actions of disinvestment in the promised rehabilitation of the Southwest Museum and our community. “In light of Autry’s financial condition, this is a strange and illogical way to be a responsible steward and uphold their fiduciary responsibilities to the merger,” concluded Possert.
The Friends of the Southwest Museum Coalition has watched, warned and worked to prevent this from occurring. Self-labeled IMBY’s (In My Back Yard), the Coalition has worked to keep the Southwest Museum a key museum destination for Los Angeles. It has proposed various win-win solutions including a modest expansion of the Mt. Washington site for more exhibition space, supported Autry’s artifact conservation efforts and fundraising activities for the rehabilitation of the Southwest Museum and Casa de Adobe. Each time, Autry rejected the Coalition’s attempts at support and solutions.
Councilmember Jose Huizar’s office has been working with City staff to review funding options to keep the Southwest Museum open and requested a meeting with Autry to discuss any financing options. The Coalition strongly urges the Autry to meet with Councilmember Huizar and actively secure a solution to re-open the Southwest Museum as a museum to the public, as promised.
There is a trigger option, soon expiring on the Southwest Museum, allowing the Autry board to begin selling off parts or all of the priceless Collection, including the two historic museums – the Casa de Adobe and the Southwest Museum.
# # #
The Autry letter returning grant funds and highlights of Autry’s actions counter to the intent of the 2003 merger will be detailed and available on the front page of the Coalition’s website. <www.FriendsOfTheSouthwestMuseum.com>
Very nice and informative article.
Occidental Resorts
Great post. I think we would all like to see our leaders start to lead and quit passing the buck, start taking responsibility and do their best to solve some issues