Meet Kristen Heather, L.A.'s First Layoff

Councilwoman Janice Hahn.

Kristen Heather is the curator at the historic Point Fermin Lighthouse in San Pedro. But not for long, as she got her two weeks' termination notice this week.

Heather is the first of 4,000 city employees expected to be laid off in this round of city budget cuts. For most, it will be a months' long process, but since Heather is not protected by civil service rules she can be let go relatively quickly.

That is, unless Councilwoman Janice Hahn has anything to say about it. Hahn came out firing this week after plan to lay Heather off was made public.

"I don't want to see this curator - or any other of our museum curators - let go," Hahn said in a statement issued Wednesday. "I'm going to ask Rec and Parks to find other ways to save money before we start laying these curators off. It was my understanding that people were not supposed to be getting their pink slips until a layoff strategy was presented to the City Council, which so far, hasn't happened."

Heather talked briefly to the Daily Breeze, but referred questions to Hahn's office: "I know she's been working very hard on this issue," she told he paper.