Ex-city manager may run for council

NEWPORT MESA -- Providing the first surprise of the political season,

former Newport Beach city manager Bob Wynn has pulled nomination papers

to run against Councilman Tom Thomson -- a man he helped get elected only

four years ago.

Wynn’s decision to pull papers runs contrary to an earlier comment

that he had “already been there and done that” and likely would not be a

candidate.

Four years ago, Wynn was campaign co-chairman for Thomson, a former

planning commissioner whom Wynn introduced to political circles. Wynn

said he has had a change of heart about Thomson and believes the

councilman has been ineffective.

And while Thomson has come forward as a supporter of the controversial

Greenlight initiative, Wynn has taken an opposing view and is backing an

alternative traffic measure.

Both measures will be on the November ballot and are already shaping

Newport Beach’s political picture.

The Greenlight measure proposes to give residents the final say on

certain major developments, even if they’ve been approved by the Planning

Commission and City Council.

The Traffic Phasing Ordinance Preservation countermeasure, on the

other hand, proposes to strengthen the city’s existing traffic relief law

by making it part of the City Charter. If it is approved by voters, the

measure would kill the Greenlight initiative.

Aside from Wynn, a lone Newport resident has pulled papers. Steven

Rosansky, a real estate and mortgage broker, will run for council member

Jan Debay’s seat.

Behind the scenes, Debay had been scouting and talking to potential

candidates. Rosansky is the first West Newport resident to step up.

As for Mayor John Noyes’ seat -- which he has said he will relinquish

after only one term -- Balboa Island community leader Steve Bromberg and

Big Canyon resident Robert Schoonmaker have pulled papers.

In Costa Mesa, where three seats will be up for grabs this fall, three

more candidates pulled papers. That brings the total to seven interested

residents.

The terms of council members Libby Cowan, Joe Erickson and Heather

Somers will be up in four months.

Cowan and Thomas Sutro, who is vice chairman of the Planning

Commission, pulled papers Monday. Residents William Lloyd and Michael

Clifford also picked up nomination papers.

Tuesday’s hopefuls included William Perkins, who works in retail

sales, Surat Singh, a business owner, and Dan Worthington, also a

business owner.

The deadline for candidates to turn in their applications is Aug. 11.