Newport Beach city attorney says he’ll retire

Deirdre Newman

City leaders searched for superlatives to describe Bob Burnham after

he announced Wednesday that he plans to retire next spring.

“What he’s brought to the city is not even measurable,” Mayor

Steve Bromberg said. “They broke the mold with this guy.”

Burnham did not return calls for comment, but a release put out by

the city noted his desire to spend more time with this family.

Burnham, who plans to retire between March 31 and June 30, 2004,

has been with the city since 1980. He became the city attorney three

years later.

Bromberg, also an attorney, lauded Burnham for his expertise on

airport issues. Burnham helped negotiate the original settlement

agreement imposing noise restrictions on John Wayne Airport in 1985.

After Burnham helped craft the agreement, the Federal Aviation

Administration passed federal legislation so that such agreements

would no longer fly.

“I think if Bob wanted to, he could go out tomorrow and become one

of the top 10 airport lawyers in the U.S.,” Bromberg said.

Dennis O’Neil, former Newport Beach city attorney and mayor, said

Burnham was well-equipped to handle complex issues confronting the

city over the last two decades, such as air transportation, water

quality and the environment.

“Burnham’s been there and was the right guy at the right time in

history to handle all these complicated problems in a professional

manner with extreme ethics and reliability,” O’Neil said. “So we were

well served. I don’t think many people would understand that or would

know that because the city attorney’s office doesn’t have, nor does

Bob want it to have, a lot of public relations exposure.”

City Manager Homer Bludau noted Burnham’s skill at bringing people

together to find solutions.

“On a daily basis, Bob is good about working with staff,” Bludau

said. “He doesn’t have any ego and is solution oriented.”

Current and former city leaders also said they developed deep

friendships with Burnham that they will miss.

“Personally, he’s a wonderful friend to me, and I’m going to miss

him both as a friend I deal with on a daily basis and as the city

attorney,” Bludau said. “I love my relationship with him. I know it’s

unique, and I’m definitely going to miss it.”

Bromberg said he would like to set up a committee with fellow

Councilmen Tod Ridgeway and John Heffernan, also a lawyer, to discuss

expectations for Burnham’s replacement.

“I think we need to do that because we’re not going to find anther

Bob Burnham, but at the same time, there’s a lot of talent out

there,” Bromberg said.

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

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