Mayor must be there for the city

Congratulations are in order for Karen Robinson, Costa Mesa’s

newest City Council-appointed mayor. We look forward to her one-year

stint leading council meetings, attending city functions and,

ideally, responding swiftly to each of our phone calls.

Upon her ascension to the mayor-ship Monday, a few audience

members questioned whether Robinson, a litigation attorney for the

California State University system, would have enough time to be

mayor, a job that often requires attendance at ribbon-cutting

ceremonies.

In her two years as a councilwoman, Robinson hasn’t always been

accessible. Earlier this year, she sought a judgeship that would have

required her to abandon the City Council dais. She wasn’t successful

in that endeavor, but we have questioned and still question her

devotion to her post as a council member, let alone as mayor.

We hope Robinson heeds the audience members’ words and proves her

critics wrong by becoming more accessible and devoted to her civic

duty.

Robinson has another task that must be accomplished for the

betterment of the city: unifying a City Council that has shown more

than enough signs that it lacks cohesiveness.

That doesn’t mean we should start seeing unanimous votes, but it

does mean that the council should sit down and really flesh out their

visions for this city. Take a closer look at both the Westside and

the so-called downtown area. Assure the residents that the council

has an idea for the two areas. Make the vision clear.

It probably didn’t help much when Councilman Gary Monahan, who was

next in line to mayor per tradition, was broadsided by his colleagues

with no warning on Monday. That situation, too, should be smoothed

over so the bad blood doesn’t carry over to the next year or two.

Finally, Robinson needs to run manageable meetings that end before

midnight and needs to make sure the council actually listens to each

and every resident who takes time out of his or her busy schedule to

attend the meetings.

There’s much to be done in this city, and Robinson is more than

capable of getting the council’s ducks in a row. We just hope she

makes plenty of time to do it.