Candidate out for now, but not forever

Councilman Eric Bever.

It does have a certain ring to it. And after Monday, I can imagine

we will be hearing those words in November 2004.

Bever, who was one of the two finalists for the appointment to the

Costa Mesa City Council, showed true leadership qualities when he

broke the stalemate and generously withdrew his name from the running

after it became apparent the city was headed toward a costly special

election.

Bever showed qualities becoming more and more rare in politicians.

He actually put the good of the city before his own personal or

political agenda and single-handedly saved the city $95,000 and six

months of possible deadlock votes.

Bravo.

His move stunned the audience at City Hall and people’s jaws

literally dropped. Whispers scurried around the room saying, “Oh my

gosh” and “Good for him.” Mike Schaefer, the other finalist who was

sworn in minutes after Bever’s withdrawal, shook Bever’s hand at the

end of the meeting. The two men were surrounded as handfuls of people

congratulated Schaefer and tipped their hats to Bever.

I guess I shouldn’t be so surprised. After covering Costa Mesa for

18 months, I had formed a pretty good relationship with Bever, even

though we started out on rocky terms. After getting to know him I

found him to be fair, even when we disagreed.

His affiliation with the “improver” camp does cast a shadow of

doubt on him, as many people -- whether merited or not -- believe the

group would be detrimental to the Latino community, industrial

property owners and charity organizations.

Councilman Allan Mansoor, who is a supporter and friend of Bever,

found himself in the same predicament during his run at the council,

as he tried to convince people he was not necessarily in lock-step

with fellow improver Councilman Chris Steel.

Steel staunchly refutes the anti-immigrant image many have of him,

saying it is an unfair judgment.

The improvers have long stood for a cleaner, safer, more enjoyable

city and have focused much of their attention on the Westside, which

they say has been largely neglected by previous councils. Their means

for a cleaner, safer, more enjoyable city are not necessarily

politically correct, as they often scrutinize the benefits of

charities and the labor of undocumented workers found largely on the

Westside.

Mansoor proved to be his own man and won his seat on the council,

with large amounts of support coming not only from his Westside

politicos but from Mesa Verde.

Bever proved his merits beyond the improver camp Monday by

offering the kind of compromise that was good for the entire city,

not just his group.

Both men took me to task for writing in a column that the thought

of an “improver majority” on the council was “terrifying” to portions

of the community.

“Do you want me to save you, Lolita?” Mansoor joked Monday, when I

stood next to both he and Bever. “I wouldn’t want you to be

terrified.”

The only thing I find terrifying about Mansoor is his Hanz and

Franz impersonation. And Bever has shared with me some intelligent

political arguments, which have been utterly devoid of fright.

My knees aren’t shaking, but the fact remains people do fear what

could happen to the Job Center, to the industrial properties on the

bluffs, to after-school and recreational programs and the charities,

if an improver majority on the council were accomplished.

Others, still, are not ignorant to the fact one of the most vocal

improvers holds contentious views about people of minority races and

has written such comments in various essays published on extremist

Web sites.

Until the improvers completely detach themselves from that type of

venom they are going to be judged by it -- whether it’s a fair

representation of their group, or not.

That is not saying anything bad about the actual people who make

up the improver camp. Shoot, the ones I have met have been nice, for

the most part. They have come together and made their voice heard.

They are a force to be reckoned with and with that power comes a

twinge of terror from those who don’t see things in the same light.

I would imagine it was partly a fear of having another “liberal”

council member win the November 2002 election that motivated the

improvers to walk the extra miles, stuff the additional envelopes and

hang more signs to promote Mansoor.

So whether you are afraid, happy, indifferent -- whatever --

remember the name Eric Bever because he’ll be around in the years to

come.

* LOLITA HARPER writes columns Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and

covers culture and the arts. She may be reached at (949) 574-4275 or

by e-mail at lolita.harper@latimes.com.