Bromberg leaves busy, outspoken vacancy on dais

Here’s an easy quiz: What do the following members of the Newport

Beach community have in common? Dennis O’Neil, Jan Debay, Evelyn

Hart, Phil Sansone, John Hedges, Gary Adams, Clarence Turner, John

Noyes, Tom Edwards and Tod Ridgeway.

Unless if you’ve been unusually asleep, you know that all were

mayors of Newport Beach. You probably also know that they represent

just some of the fine men and women who have led the city during its

nearly 100 years.

Also on that list is the current mayor, Steve Bromberg. But he’ll

soon be added to the list of former mayors: He was appointed last

week to serve as an Orange County Superior Court judge.

Bromberg rose to the top of the city’s political hill the

old-fashioned way. First he started in his homeowner’s association,

then he got more involved in city politics before running for office

in 2000. During an election dominated by the Greenlight issue, he won

a hard-fought campaign against a candidate backed by that slow-growth

group. Four years later, he ran for reelection unopposed.

Bromberg has been an intensely hands-on mayor and councilman. He

goes to breakfasts and lunches and dinners. He is involved in

charities and fundraisers, notably this month’s Relay for Life and

the city’s adoption of a Camp Pendleton Marine battalion. He spends

time most days at City Hall, which goes above and beyond the call of

duty for the part-time position. He is on committees that are dealing

with the most important issues in the city, including the future of

Marinapark and the handling of John Wayne Airport and the Back Bay.

“I love it,” he said. “Why? Because we’re getting things done.”

No one, not even Bromberg’s critics -- and as an outspoken

politician, he has his share -- can make a credible case that

Bromberg didn’t love serving his city. We’re certain that vacating

his seat is not going to be easy, even for a position of such

prestige and a position he is so thrilled to get.

Bromberg is scheduled to meet with the Superior Court’s presiding

judge Monday. After that, he should be able to say when his

resignation will go into effect.

He leaves not so much big shoes to be filled, but busy ones.

Whether the council appoints a successor -- which it legally is

supposed to do within 30 days of his leaving -- or for some reason

the seat goes to an election, Bromberg will be difficult to replace.

We wish him the best of luck in his new position, for many years

to come.