Council considers interim appointee

Deirdre Newman

To replace former Mayor Karen Robinson on the dais, the City Council

had two choices: appoint a replacement or call a special election.

When deadlock struck for the second time between hopefuls Eric

Bever and Mike Scheafer, the council found that it didn’t necessarily

have to choose -- it could have an appointment and a special

election.

After two hours of public comment and debate on Monday on Bever

and Scheafer, the council opened up the floor to public comment again

on a suggestion from Councilman Gary Monahan that the council

consider appointing someone to serve six months, until a special

election could be held in November. The winner of that election would

serve for the remainder of Robinson’s term, which would be one year.

This option would be considered at a special City Council meeting

on Monday.

As of 10:30 p.m., the council was still hearing public comment on

Monahan’s motion for an interim appointee, and no decision had been

made.

Monahan said he believed this option could break the deadlock and

appeal to voters. Acting City Atty. Tom Wood said the council would

have to approve a special ordinance to set up the procedure.

But Councilwoman Libby Cowan greeted his suggestion with

skepticism.

“I wouldn’t support that,” Cowan said. “I don’t know why [a

six-month appointment] would break the deadlock.”

If a meeting is held Monday, Councilman Chris Steel proposed

trying to break the deadlock between Bever and Scheafer before

considering Monahan’s suggestion.

Bever and Scheafer reacted to the protracted discussion with

nonchalance.

“This is not life or death for me,” Bever said. “I am committed to

improving the city, and it doesn’t matter if I do it from the dais or

the podium.”

“This isn’t my whole life,” Scheafer said. “As much as I am

committed to serving, life goes on.”

The appointment process started on April 21, the week after former

Mayor Karen Robinson resigned to become an Orange County Superior

Court judge.

* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers Costa Mesa and may be reached at (949)

574-4221 or by e-mail at deirdre.newman@latimes.com.