At 56 years old, County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas has arrived at one of life’s most desirable stations:
The pinnacle of his 30-year political career, unless in the unlikely event he develops an incurable itch to run for mayor.
Otherwise, the Board of Supervisors is as close as it gets in this town to lifetime employment.
Two and a half years into his newest office, he owned an enviable profile when he was elected in ‘08, and that only has expanded
He probably generates more news across Los Angeles than his four gritty, equally media-savvy, colleagues whose entrenched terms — only half-kiddingly — are measured in centuries.
In his latest appearance, Mr. Ridley-Thomas showed aspiring politicians how it is done.
He strode into Council Chambers early last evening with pitch-perfect timing, delivering just-right huzzahs to the hometown politicians for assisting him in his kingmaker role in bringing home a winning settlement in the nagging Baldwin Hills Oil Field drilling dispute.
Known for his dapper fashion as much as his exquisite oratory, he may be one of those chaps who wears a color-coordinated necktie in the shower and to sleep at night. He never is caught out of sync.
Mr. Ridley-Thomas’s present station allows him to measuredly enter any city hall, dressed to defy even petty criticism, say his piece and depart, as if he were tidily touring his own kingdom. Not an excess syllable or unspoken phrase left behind.
While the now week-old settlement of drilling rules and safety-health regulations will stand as one of the major achievements of an accomplished career, Mr. Ridley-Thomas’s parade across his district nevertheless is feeling scattered raindrops.
Some of the multi-petitioners in the settlement are in a celebratory mood — such as last night in Council Chambers — but others aren’t, and that has put Mr. Ridley-Thomas in a curious, awkward position.
Late last week, the following decidedly restrained, somber statement was issued by a spokesman for a group of petitioners:
i. The parties have negotiated in good faith a settlement containing important improvements to the Baldwin Hills Community Standards District (“CSD”) that could not have been compelled by a court order resulting from the current litigation challenging the County’s Environmental Impact Report and the CSD.
ii. The terms of the settlement adequately augment the protections contained in the CSD and, when combined with the existing provisions of the CSD, provide a satisfactory framework for safeguarding community health, safety and security.
iii. The settlement expedites the resolution of significant community concerns and allows the focus of this process to shift to constructive dialogue, implementation, monitoring and establishment of a more effective working relationship between the parties.
Contrast that constraint with Mr. Ridley-Thomas’s typical sunburst of enthusiasm just after the Board of Supervisors endorsed the agreement:
The finalization of this settlement marks an important and long awaited shift for the residents surrounding the Inglewood Oil Field.
It's been a long time coming, and I know that at times during this process, the community's patience wore thin. But we have achieved what we set out to gain. These additional 15 mitigations mean that residents will be equipped with comprehensive safeguards that monitor and protect both their health and the surrounding environment.
As of today, the Inglewood Oil Field becomes one of the most comprehensively regulated oil fields in the nation.
Came then a rare moment in Mr. Ridley-Thomas’s career. The question of how he explains an enigma, enthusiasm on one side, reserved blandness on the other, sparked an unusual response:
“I really don’t know,” he said, briefly stumped, “other than that the settlement is binding. And I can tell you NRDC (Natural Resource Defense Council) is celebrating the victory. It was hard-fought but worthy of celebration. The people of Culver City could easily and rightfully feel the same.”
Is there a justification for being cautious?
He reflected wordlessly at first. No, he concluded.
“The work isn’t over,” said Mr. Ridley-Thomas, “because there still is monitoring and enforcement that are necessary. If the plaintiffs are true to their convictions, they will monitor and make sure that which they fought for so valiantly is achieved. That is what accountability means.
“I am committed to doing precisely that. Any time there are concerns relating to non-compliance, you can be assured my offices will go into action. Not only that, you will see those things that speak to consequences for non-compliance.
“I don’t think PXP doubts we are serious.”
