Villaraigosa helps Warren Furutani land nicely

As the only full-time, officially paid commission that City Hall offers, the Board of Public Works has always been a plum assignment — the five seats usually reserved for friends and political allies who need a little more tangible reward than, say, a seat on the Recreation and Parks commission. What do you think Andrea Alarcon was doing there? Today Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa nominated the former state assemblyman, school board president and college board president Warren Furutani to Public Works. Furutani tried to inherit the City Council seat of Rep. Janice Hahn in 2011, but in last year's runoff the open seat went to newcomer Joe Buscaino. "Warren has been dedicated to public service for over 40 years," Villaraigosa said in a statement from his office. "His skills as a problem solver and consensus builder will be great assets to the Board of Public Works and the City of Los Angeles."