By Eliza Ridgeway

After a year of strife, a new management agreement is in the works among the town, Friends of Westwind and other users of Westwind Barn, the Los Altos Hills landmark.

At its Dec. 14 meeting, the Los Altos Hills City Council reviewed a proposed template for a peaceful renegotiation of power at the barn from the town’s Westwind Barn committee but postponed a definitive decision until more information could be gathered.

Friends of Westwind, a non-profit social organization, has held a lease at the town-owned barn for the past 30 years, managing its horse-boarding and community programs. Last winter, the barn came under scrutiny after a series of incidents, including allegations of health-code violations and an ensuing lawsuit, and the city council considered taking direct control over management of the barn.

In the committee recommendation, Friends of Westwind would remain the agent operating the barn, with increased oversight from the town, for the near future.

City Councilman Jean Mordo reported that after initial disagreement, the committee recommended a six-month contract during which to test the new agreement.

“A lot of people who ride their horses there, who board there, are concerned about what is going to happen,” Mordo said, as he recommended the council guarantee the stability of barn programming for the foreseeable future.

The council has delayed renovation of the aging barn until the lease and management of the barn are renegotiated.

“If we can resolve the terms of the lease, I would be interested in investing both maintenance dollars and park and bond money (in the barn),” Councilman Craig Jones said.

The town already earmarks $3,000 a month, the proceeds from a rental cell-phone tower located at the barn, for potential rehabilitation of the site. Those funds could be augmented by private donations, general fund monies and state grants.

In other Westwind news, the plaintiffs in a civil suit against the barn and the town dropped charges against former Friends President Sharon O’Malley, who had been named as a defendant. The complaint, filed Sept. 18 by two former barn employees, alleged racial discrimination and

financial improprieties at the barn and sought payment of back

wages totaling more than $500,000.

“The voluntary dismissal confirms that the allegations against Sharon O’Malley were false,” said Niall P. McCarthy of Cotchett, Pitre, Simon & McCarthy, the Burlingame law firm representing O’Malley.

Russell Leibson, attorney for the plaintiffs, former barn employees Ignacio Rodriguez and Gregorio Carranza, did not return calls for comment.