Councilman to Quit His Day Job

After Feb. 1, chatting with City Councilman Gary Monahan will no longer be as easy as strolling into Henry ‘N Harry’s Goathill Tavern, grabbing a bar stool and ordering a black and tan.

Monahan, 37, announced this week that he plans to step down as manager of the popular Newport Boulevard pub, which many local residents have come to consider an ideal setting to talk with an elected official.

“It’s just that it’s come to that point to move on,” Monahan, 37, said.

Monahan, who is in his first term on the council, said he is exploring other options in related businesses but has not decided his next move. He may one day open his own bar, he said.

The councilman worked as a loan officer at a Bank of America branch in Palo Alto before moving to Costa Mesa and taking the job at the Goathill.

Reaching him won’t be more difficult after he leaves the Goathill, he vowed, but it may not be as much fun. The tavern features pinball, video games and pool tables, as well as space to sit and chat with friends on the staff.

“Now they’ll have to call me on the phone,” Monahan said. “I am still available by telephone and easy to get hold of.”