NEWPORT BEACH : Mayor Suggests Public Benefits Corporation

Outgoing Mayor Clarence J. Turner has asked city administrators to prepare a plan for a public benefits corporation that would accept and administer donations from the public.

The new panel, approved in principle on a 7-0 vote, would consider which donations to accept and allow donors to specify the use for any money or property granted to the city, without danger that the donations would be mingled with the general fund.

“It should not cost the city a nickel except the relatively small amount of pocket change to set the corporation up,” Turner said in asking for a proposal. He suggested the City Council could be the board of directors with appointed residents as corporate officers.

Councilwoman Evelyn R. Hart said the corporation should include residents who do not hold a political office, are not seeking political office and are not city employees.

“If we’re going to do it I think we should keep politicians out of it,” she said.

One resident, Dolores Otting, said even a corporation with good intentions could be misused.

“My concern is that this could become a vehicle through which special interests and lobbyists could make large contributions to the city,” she said.

Councilwoman Jean H. Watt asked that administrators come up with a proposal to structure the corporation to preclude abuses.

Examples of some donations the city has received or been offered include a Bret Price sculpture donated in 1986, a scholarship fund in the name of former Mayor Donald Strauss and an offer of $30,000 worth of cherry trees.