SAN DIEGO -- A San Diego city councilman has raised questions about how the Citizens' Task Force On Chargers Issues is being run.

Discussion

Should San Diego Try To Keep The Chargers?

Councilman Jim Madaffer said he was "troubled" by recent issues with the task force.

"I'm concerned that this group is either in a position to be set up for failure or they are not having adequate input in what they ought to be and how they conduct their affairs as a group," Madaffer said.

He said he had received "a couple of letters" from Bruce Henderson, a member of the task force and frequent critic of the city's dealings with the team.

For instance, he said, task force members had no say in the hiring of a consultant for the task force. The consultant has worked for the Chargers, Madaffer said.

City Manager Michael Uberuaga said he would follow up on the concerns, but said "some of the committee members did have input" on the consultant.

Mayor Dick Murphy convened the task force to see if there is anything the city should do to keep the Chargers in town. The team is seeking a new stadium, and has indicated it could exercise a contract clause that would allow a move to another city.

The task force has agreed to take a trip to Denver to see that city's new stadium, although a reconsideration is expected at the next meeting because there are questions about whether the item was properly noticed.

Madaffer questioned whether the trip should be taken at all.

"I'm not sure what the purpose of the trip is," he said.

But Councilman George Stevens defended the way the task force is run, and said the $20,000 it would cost to send members to Denver wasn't out of line.

"We give people that much for tripping over a sidewalk in closed session on any given Tuesday morning," Stevens said.

Referring to Henderson, Stevens said the council confirmed the appointment of someone "who has been often times petty, and sued us over and over again."

Henderson sued the city over the Chargers' contract with the city, and filed numerous lawsuits aimed at stopping the ballpark project.

Madaffer also said the task force hasn't had a chance to discuss its $180,000 budget and how that money should be spent, and said the public should be kept better informed about meetings.

"I just want to make sure it's done in a credible fashion," he added.