His Performance Under Review : Gaslamp Council Director Resigns in Surprise Move

Larry Monserrate, who took over as executive director of the Gaslamp Quarter Council 15 months ago, has resigned.

Monserrate, 45, was out of town serving a weekend stint as a pilot in the Marine Reserves, and unavailable for comment. Brian Walsh, president of the council, also was unavailable.

But Gaslamp Quarter Council members, who declined to be identified, said Monserrate’s resignation came as a surprise, even though he had not fared well in a recent job performance evaluation done by a special review committee.

According to one source familiar with the situation, Monserrate, who apparently was on the verge of making a deposit to buy a house, was told he should wait until the full council had had a chance to discuss his job performance and make a decision on whether to renew his contract.

Monserrate, surprised by the suggestion, decided to resign, according to the source.

“There were questions about whether he should stay, but there also wasn’t any decision that he wouldn’t keep his job, either,” the source said.

The resignation comes at a time when the Gaslamp Quarter Council is scheduled to have a budget meeting with the City Council on Monday. The council receives funding from the city.

As executive director, Monserrate was in charge of promoting the 16 1/2-block historic district, marked by turn-of-the-century buildings in the middle of downtown, and working with property owners, developers, merchants and City Hall to help maintain and rejuvenate the area.

The district is attempting to change its character from one of run-down bars, peep shows and X-rated movie houses to a neighborhood geared toward tourists and conventioneers.

Monserrate was director of the Pensacola, Fla., Downtown Improvement Board when the Gaslamp Quarter Council selected him from a field of 38 candidates.

He succeeded Art Skolnik, who resigned in late 1985 and returned to Seattle.

Monserrate was mainly a low-key figure during his 15 months in San Diego, though he regularly represented the Gaslamp Quarter before the City Council, the Centre City Development Corp. and various other downtown groups, making sure that the district’s viewpoint was heard.