Scheafer to run for reelection

Deirdre Newman

One Mike is in and one Mike is out in the competition for open City

Council seats this fall.

Incumbent Mike Scheafer, appointed in a heavily contested pursuit

of former Mayor Karen Robinson’s seat, filed to run Wednesday.

And Westside activist Mike Berry, who announced in January that he

would run, has decided not to because of a technicality in the

disclosure laws for candidates.

Scheafer, a State Farm Insurance agent for almost 31 years, said

he intended to run for council but wanted to ensure some personal

issues were taken care of before he jumped in.

The past year on the council has been tremendously valuable,

Scheafer said, and there are still several weighty issues he wants to

help solve.

“I’ve really enjoyed being part of helping to direct Costa Mesa

and I look forward to continuing that,” Scheafer said.

Scheafer said he is proud that the approval of the long-awaited

skate park finally came to fruition under his lead and that the

restrictions on fireworks sales that he suggested were endorsed by

the majority of the council.

“To me, the most important thing we’ve done [about fireworks] is

twofold: we’ve preserved the ability to sell fireworks and narrowed

it down so the money really will stay in Costa Mesa,” Scheafer said.

Some of the issues Scheafer said he wants to have a hand in are

revitalizing the Westside and alleviating the city’s financial

problems.

Berry decided not to run because of a law requiring candidates to

disclose services they provide that comprise a percentage of their

income. Berry and his wife, Judi, have a consulting company with

confidential clients they don’t feel comfortable exposing, he said.

“It feels terrible,” Berry lamented. “I spend every day on the

phone talking to people about issues in Costa Mesa, and I’m still

doing that. I wish I could run. I really do. And if there’s any way I

could, believe me, I would.”

Berry, a frequent speaker at City Council meetings, supported

Councilman Allan Mansoor in his successful council campaign two years

ago. He is a member of the Westside Improvement Assn., which tackles

what members consider to be the deteriorating quality of life in that

part of town, and the Westside Revitalization Oversight Committee,

which is overseeing the council’s implementation of the

recommendations made by the Community Redevelopment Action Committee.

He and Judi own Judi Berry & Associates, which consults hospitals

on financial reimbursements from the state and federal government. As

a candidate, Berry would have to list any business that contributes

more than 10% of his income. Because their business deals with

confidential contracts, Berry said he does not want to violate his

clients’ privacy.

The catalyst for Berry to run was the council’s approval of a

slightly less dense plan for the 1901 Newport Blvd. condominium

project. Berry opposes it because of the city’s offer of a

$1.5-million subsidy to Rutter Development to lower its density. But

Berry said he also wanted to rectify what he sees as a wide trend of

the council voting against the people.

He plans to stay involved in city issues.

“I intend to continue to participate in the community groups,

continue to go to council meetings,” Berry said. “And I will be very

involved in the election, hopefully to put some candidates forward.

Right now, my wife and I are reviewing the city budget. There will be

some suggestions.”

Berry said he currently supports Planning Commissioner Eric Bever

in his attempt at a council seat and may support other candidates who

haven’t announced yet.

Bever said he is disappointed that Berry won’t be able to run and

appreciates his support.

“Mike is not going away,” Bever said. “I’m sure he’ll continue to

be involved at the civic level.”

Other candidates in the race so far are Planning Commission

Chairman Bruce Garlich, Planning Commissioner Katrina Foley , former

Mayor Linda Dixon and resident Samuel Clark. They will be competing

in a race for three seats.

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

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