San Diego mayor nominates Bersin for executive committee position

By: DAVE DOWNEY - Staff Writer | Thursday, November 16, 2006 11:22 PM PST ∞

SAN DIEGO -- San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders has decided to nominate Alan Bersin, California's education secretary and former San Diego schools superintendent, to serve on the executive committee of the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority board.

If confirmed by the City Council on Dec. 4, Bersin could be sworn in the next day for a four-year term on the airport board, officials said.

Bersin, who has resigned his state post in anticipation of the appointment, would replace the board's current chairman, Joe Craver. As one of three paid, full-time members on the nine-member board who serve on its executive committee, Bersin would earn $158,200 a year, said airport spokeswoman Diana Lucero.

"The mayor's known Alan for 25 years," said Fred Sainz, Sanders' press secretary. "He has a high degree of confidence in his abilities, his leadership skills and his problem-solving abilities, and clearly this is a board that will require all of those abilities and more."

The board is coming off a bruising election defeat in last week's crushing of the Miramar airport ballot measure, by a nearly 2-1 margin. And the airport authority is left with the task of making the most out of the 661-acre, one-runway Lindbergh Field, as it attempts to chart a course for San Diego County's aviation future without Miramar in the picture.

"Irrespective of what the future discussion may bring, there is no doubt that Lindbergh Field has to be maximized," Sainz said. "And we think Alan will add immeasurably to that dialogue."

Sainz said the mayor's decision not to nominate Craver for a second term does not reflect badly on the current chairman. "He was very pleased with Joe's service on the board," Sainz said. It was just that Sanders saw an opportunity when Bersin expressed an interest in returning to San Diego, he said.

While Bersin would take over Craver's position on the executive committee, he would not necessarily become the new chairman. That's something that would be up to the other board members.

The board is likely to look a whole lot different next month. Terms are up for five members, including those of North County representatives Bob Maxwell of Oceanside and Bill Lynch of Rancho Santa Fe, both of whom will not be returning.

-- Contact staff writer Dave Downey at (760) 740-5442 or ddowney@nctimes.com.

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