Businessman to vie for O’Neil’s seat

James Meier

Bernie Svalstad wants to focus on the city’s quality of life from

the dais -- the Newport Beach City Council dais.

The 20-year Corona del Mar resident formally announced his bid for

Councilman Dennis O’Neil’s District 6 council seat on Monday when he

pulled papers at City Hall. O’Neil, as well as Councilwoman Norma

Glover, cannot seek reelection due to term limits.

“I think it just has more or less to do with protecting the

quality of life,” Svalstad said of his platform. “People enjoy this

fabulous city. It’s critical to maintain that and make it better.”

No stranger to city politics, Svalstad served on the Fountain

Valley City Council between 1969 and 1980. For the last eight years,

he has run his own Newport Beach business, B.P.S. Newport Financial,

a financial services firm.

A former developer, Svalstad says he supports the city’s

Greenlight law that requires a citywide vote on certain large

projects.

“I think it’s a good thing for the city. People passed it and it’s

something that people want. But I’m going to be a balanced candidate.

I don’t believe in one concept.”

Svalstad said now that the city’s basically built out, the council

and city officials need to work on minimizing traffic woes and

protecting the environment and ocean, or what he calls the city’s

greatest asset.

Svalstad said he decided to return to the political scene now

because he can afford to do so.

“I have more time now and I just love politics,” he said. “I just

think I can have the time and money to put out the work it takes to

be a council member.”

Svalstad is a past director, vice president and state director of

the California Jaycees. He served on the executive committee of St.

James Episcopal Church’s 2001 capital campaign that raised about $3.5

million for a new church building.

In April, longtime Corona del Mar activist Laura Bekeart Dietz

said she would run for the District 6 council seat, though she did

not pull papers on Monday, the first day to formally announce City

Council candidacy.

Also in April, the city’s former public works director, Don Webb,

said he would run for Glover’s District 3 council seat. In June,

Mayor Tod Ridgeway and Councilman Gary Adams announced they would

seek reelection in their respective districts, 1 and 4.

Meanwhile, Councilman John Heffernan has yet to decide whether he

will step from his District 7 seat this fall -- two years before his

first council stint expires.