Mayor opts out of council race

Veteran Laguna Beach City Councilman Steven Dicterow on Friday withdrew his bid for reelection in November.

Dicterow filed a declaration of withdrawal with City Clerk Martha Anderson, but had made no public statement by late afternoon. A telephone call to his office was not returned.

His decision extends the filing period for nomination papers to 5 p.m. Wednesday for nonincumbent candidates.

The withdrawal came as a surprise throughout City Hall. He had filed nomination papers on Wednesday and gave every indication that he was prepared to run for an unprecedented fourth term. However, demands of his career in international motorcycle racing frequently took him out of the country and forced him to miss council meetings.

“What people don’t understand is that this is a volunteer job,” Councilwoman Elizabeth Pearson-Schneider said. “Steve has given thousands of hours to the city and he should be recognized for his contributions.”

Dicterow, 52, will have served 12 years on the council when his term ends this year.

He first ran for office in 1994, without having served on any of the city’s volunteer committees. He attributed his election to walking the streets, making himself known to the voters.

Dicterow was reelected in 1998 with 5,721 votes — the most of any of the five candidates. In the 2002 election, he said he still had the enthusiasm to continue to serve the city.

“I love being on the council,” Dicterow said at one candidate’s forum. “It is the highlight of my life.”