Santa Maria Times from Santa Maria, California • 1

WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON SPORTS FOOD 'A i Santa Maria HURT STRUG UAULTS US TO GOLD page B-1 page C-1 50 cents Wednesday, July 24, 1996 Our 115th year No. 94 6 SB COUNTY Pool project A V'1TL pra in 'H lit Supervisors critical of elections board Ji "SasSacJCJ ft i- I Ui Jfc-i i By Ken Miller Times Staff Writer C(i Gfflm mm SANTA BARBARA County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor Ken Pettit is an elected official, and his successes and mistakes are his own. That was the sentiment of the county Board of Supervisors, which decided to neither endorse nor expose Pettit's "Citizens Committee on Elections," a proposed five-member board Vf Jeffrey MayTimes for completion in spring 1997, and swimmers can use the Hancock College pool from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1 p.m.

to 3:30 p.m. Saturdays until Aug. 31. Crews from subcontractor M.J. Ross Construction began demolishing the L-shaped, 25-by-40-yard Paul Nelson Pool Tuesday In preparation for the construction of two new ones.

The project is scheduled GUADALUPE designed to review and recommend improvements on the elections process. The committee was Pettit's response to 5th District Sup. Tom Urbanske's recommendation that Pettit do everything in his power to improve outreach to the 60,000 county residents who are registered but do not vote. But other than his suggestion, Urbanske will play little part in the committee's future. Things got off to a rough start, with 2nd District Sup.

Jeanne Graffy protesting Pettit appointing the committee members before the board even had a chance to review the proposal. Pettit got commitments from Sheriff Jim Thomas, Auditor-Controller Bob Geis, Bob Kallman, president of the county Taxpayers Association and former grand jurors Josiah Jenkins and Betsy Cramer, "I felt it (appointing the members) was our choice and not yours," Graffy said. Fourth Dktrirt Sun Tim Staffel I Tnfrrrm EDUCATION Lompoc mulls cutting first-grade class size Home-town boy ready to take over Lawrence city's top candidate 'This is not a dream team. Anyone you nominate is going to have a political agenda. I'm looking for five good peo- By Janene Scully Times Staff Writer pie who then noted the committee was a Can Qet the "lNle sny" on representatives from the North County.

JOD QOne mrd District Sup Bill Wallace Ken Pettit, county said the committee also needed representatives from those areas needing outreach, including schools. "This (proposed committee makeup) is white, upper-middle-class people," Wallace said, adding recorder GUADALUPE You can go home again especially in Guadalupe. Henry J. Lawrence Jr. wants to do more than just go home, however.

He also hopes to improve it as the city's new leader. Barring a last minute snare, Lawrence is the likely next city administrator for Guadalupe. Monday, the" City Council chose Lawrence as its top candidate, instructing its subcommittee to enter into negotiations with him. Officials expect it to be finalized within a week. Current City Administrator Maynard Silva starts a new job Aug.

1 with Valenzuela Engineering. "I'm ready to hit the pavement running and accept the responsibilities and challenges that go with the job," said the 42-year-old Lawrence, son of the city's long-time fire chief Henry J. Lawrence. "I think I'm going into it with my eyes open." And his heart. Guadalupe is where Lawrence grew up and attended elementary schools.

Now an attorney, he returned there with his family in 1992, He and his wife Lyn have two sons, Marcus, 11, and Matthew, 7. "There's a lot of issues that need to be addressed," said Lawrence. "I certainly am not doing it for the money. I like he felt the committee as proposed is "very partisan. I don't like how (Sheriff Jim) Thomas uses his office" in endorsing candidates.

Pettit sat motionless through most of the board's comments, then offered his own. "This is not a dream team," he said. "Anyone you nominate is going to have a political agenda. I'm looking for five good people who can get the job done." Urbanske was the only supervisor to praise Pettit's proposed committee. "I don't see this as a political committee.

I'm very supportive of what Mr. Pettit's See PETTIT, back page Matthew LlddiTimes Henry J. Lawrence Jr. grew up In Guadalupe as the son of the city's fire chief. See GUADALUPE, back page By Karen Williams Times Staff Writer LOMPOC A plan to add up to 17 teachers to the Lompoc Unified School District so that each first-grade teacher would have a maximum of 20 students is under consideration by the school board now that the state has promised funding for such efforts.

Supt. Debra Bradley's recommendation Tuesday to implement the policy for the 1996-1997 school year will return to the board at its Aug. 27 meeting, once additional information is gathered. Reducing class size "has some very positive aspects to it, but it also has some things "that we need to look at carefully," Bradley said. The state bill that pays for the move suggests reducing class size for first and second grades in separate stages, possibly reducing third grade or kindergarten in the final phase, according to a report prepared by Bradley.

If 984 first-graders enroll, then 17 new teachers would need to be hired. With the exception of Clarence Ruth Elementary School, the schools appear to have enough classrooms to add classes, she said. "With very guarded optimism, we think we will be able to accommodate class size reduction for grade one." Earl Wammack, the district's business manager, said two portable classrooms could be acquired by November if the district See LOMPOC, back page t- Inside MICHAEL JACKSON Court action heavy even before trial starts Pre-trial wrangling continues in high-profile civil case BUSINESS B-5 CLASSIFIED D-4 COMICS C-4 CROSSWORD D-6 DEARABBY C-2 DR. GOTT C-2 MOVIES C-3 OBITUARIES A-5 OPINION D-2 By Judy Hirni Times Staff Writer i Thursday forecast A Highs in the r7 tow 70s. attorneys for Jackson, said they were having problems taking depositions from defense witnesses and added that potential witness Victor Gutierrez never showed up even after being subpoenaed.

Judge Zcl Canter issued a bench warrant for Gutierrez. He also levied $8,970.50 in fines on prosecuting attorneys Michael Ring and Kelly Francis saying that Francis "blocked" Jackson's attorneys attempts to take a deposition from McManus and that the whole thing was "a waste of (Jackson's See JACKSON, back page before the grand jury and the maid gave a deposition. Afterwards, they said, working conditions deteriorated at Neverland Ranch in Los Olivos and they were forced to resign. The plaintiffs include former guards Kassim Abdool, Melanie Bagnall and Ralph Chacon, former maid Adrian McManus and former administrative assistant Sandi Domz. The trial is expected to begin Aug.

27. Tuesday, the defense and prosecuting teams continued to hash out pre-trial problems such as taking depositions and sharing information. Steve Cochran and Bob Sanger, V'y." Vv- 't Extensive pre-trial wrangling continues in civil suits brought against Michael Jackson well before the expected late-August start of one of the suits. Five of Michael Jackson's former employees have accused the singer and his top staff of making threats and eavesdropping after a Los Angles grand jury began a 1994 investigation into child molestation allegations against Jackson. Three of the former security guards were subpoenaed to testify AP For complete weather picture, eee page A-6 Court action In civil suits Involving Michael Jackson is already hot..