CYPRESS : Bowman Succeeds Age in Mayoral Rotation

Walter K. Bowman, a councilman who voters overwhelmingly retained in office in the Nov. 7 recall election, is the city’s new mayor.

Fellow City Council members on Monday unanimously elected Bowman to the one-year position. He succeeds Cecilia L. Age, whose term as mayor coincided with the political upheaval caused by a controversial warehouse and a citizens’ effort to recall Age, Bowman and Councilwoman Gail H. Kerry because of their vote for the building.

The recall effort failed as voters, by an almost 2-to-1 ratio, upheld the challenged council members.

Bowman jokingly referred to the tumultuous past year in the city as he took over the mayoral seat from Age during Monday night’s meeting. “You caused quite a few people to get upset,” Bowman told Age. With a grin, she retorted: “You were a part of that, buddy!”

Bowman, 57, is a real estate broker who was reelected to his second four-year term on the City Council in November, 1994. In a recent interview, he said a prime goal of his service on the council is to keep existing businesses in the city and to attract new ones.

The council on Monday night unanimously elected Kerry as mayor pro tem. The mayor pro tem presides in the absence of the mayor.