Heffernan still contemplating resignation

June Casagrande

NEWPORT BEACH -- Councilman John Heffernan said he’ll wait until he

gets a look at the field of City Council candidates before deciding

whether to step down from his seat.

“I’m waiting to see whether someone with some comparability with me

comes forward, to have an ally on the council,” Heffernan said. “I’m not

so concerned about having people vote in the same way I do, but that we

have broader discussion of issues in the meeting.”

Heffernan surprised observers in April when he announced at the end of

a City Council meeting that he would step down in November, two years

before his four-year term comes to an end. Two days later, he announced

he was rethinking the decision, noting that certain things had transpired

in the 48 hours after the announcement that caused him to reconsider. He

declined to elaborate but said that he felt there was a lot of work to be

done on the council.

Now, after weighing all the factors, he said his decision will hinge

on how the upcoming election in November could change the shape of the

council.

“I’m looking for a fresh look on issues,” Heffernan said. “A better

base of discussion than we’ve had so far.”

The council’s May 28 discussion over the city’s leash laws is a case

in point, he said. Staff had suggested adding some wording to the

ordinance in hopes making it clear enough to avoid a repeat of a recent

court challenge. Opponents saw the law as unnecessarily restrictive to

dog owners, forcing them to keep hold of their dogs’ leashes even while

they’re swimming in the ocean.

“We made an effort to make the ordinance more clear,” Newport Beach

Police Capt. Paul Henisey said.

Mayor Tod Ridgeway, taking an informal survey of the audience members

who turned out to discuss the matter, suggested the item be “tabled” --

in effect rejecting the idea of shoring up the ordinance.

Heffernan cast the dissenting vote not because he wanted tighter

restrictions on dog owners, he said, but because killing the issue leaves

unaddressed the fact that a judge found the city’s ordinance vague and in

need of clarification.

“I think citizens deserve a more thorough analysis of the issues,” he

said.

So far, two people have announced they will run for City Council in

November. Retired Public Works Director Don Webb will run for Norma

Glover’s District 3 seat, which will be open due to term limits. Corona

del Mar resident Laura Bekeart Dietz will run for Councilman Dennis

O’Neil’s District 6 seat, which will also be up for grabs due to term

limits.

Heffernan said that neither Webb nor Dietz is the type of candidate

who he believes will bring to the council the diversity of opinion that

could make him choose to stay.

* June Casagrande covers Newport Beach. She may be reached at (949)

574-4232 or by e-mail at o7 june.casagrande@latimes.comf7 .