Mayor could exceed hopes

S.J. CAHN

Two weeks ago, I was busy trying to tie up a few loose work ends as I

watched the clock tick closer and closer to 7 p.m. At 6:54 p.m., I

was nearly out of hope as I looked up the starting time for the

special Newport Beach City Council meeting that night. I thought it

might have a late kick off.

Just the opposite. The meeting where the council chose Ed Selich

to replace Steve Bromberg had started an hour earlier, at 6 p.m. I

gave up any pretense I’d make it to the meeting, but did hear the

news a few minutes before 9 p.m., when reporter Alicia Robinson came

back to the office.

And so I missed the third of these meetings (in three years, as

the Pilot refrain went after Bromberg announced he was leaving his

seat to become an Orange County Superior Court judge) where council

members themselves filled a vacancy on the dais.

These meetings typically make for great theater. The last one saw

Bromberg, then the mayor, calling for one more vote when the tally

was locked 3 to 3 between Planning Commissioners Leslie Daigle and

Barry Eaton.

Bromberg switched his vote to Daigle, who now sits on the council.

It turns out I managed to miss the right meeting. Instead of a

string of votes, each one eliminating another council hopeful or two,

the six remaining council members wasted no time, voting, 4-2, for

Selich. (Council members Steve Rosanky and Daigle backed one-time

candidate Bernie Svalstad.)

What to make of this new trend?

It doesn’t strike me as an era of renewed accord. After all, the

council mostly has been on the same page when it comes to meaningful

votes.

Perhaps it was the strength of Selich’s “candidacy.” I’ve

certainly heard nothing but positive things about him for the more

than six years I’ve been at the Pilot.

I plan to get to a meeting, soon, so I can check it out, though my

reason for going is something else. I’m interested, and I’m sure I’m

not alone, to see Mayor John Heffernan lead the council. Up until

getting his new seat, the most control I’d seen Heffernan wield --

and I don’t mean this in any way as a reflection on him -- was

turning on and off the lights during video presentations.

I believe that’s going to change drastically. You can count me

among those who think Heffernan is going to exceed expectations as

mayor.

A FINE JOB, SENATOR

Did anyone notice the interesting quote in Tuesday’s story about

Back Bay dredging?

“Their budget is not as austere as the House budget,” Rep. Chris

Cox said about the Senate budget, in which Sen. Dianne Feinstein was

able to get more money for the work than Cox had in the House

version. “In my view, $7 million is a compromise, and one that we

would not have been able to achieve without Sen. Feinstein’s

leadership.”

You have to wonder if Cox was looking at all down the line to his

Securities and Exchange Commission hearings in the Senate. Feinstein

has agreed to introduce him to her colleagues, so every courtesy,

seemingly, would help.

* S.J. CAHN is the managing editor. He may be reached at (714)

966-4607 or by e-mail at s.j.cahn@latimes.com.