EDITORIAL:Coerper right man for job

The year 2006 hasn’t exactly been the best year for the city of Huntington Beach.

Here’s to new Mayor Gil Coerper changing all that.

Coerper, who was reelected this November to the City Council, took over the reins of city government this week after being appointed mayor by his colleagues.

And while we understand he is eager to push the city into the future, he’s got a lot to put behind him as well.

First and foremost is the stain on public officials that was left after former Mayor Pam Julien Houchen pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 37 months in prison for her role in a condo-conversion scam that resulted in several innocent people losing money and several more citizens losing faith in city government.

Houchen was one of a number of local real estate swindlers who found themselves behind bars for illegally altering the 15 apartment buildings and skirting the city permits and fees required to do that work.

In addition, the Huntington Beach Police Department, of which Coerper is a retired member, has seen its share of controversy this year as well.

Tops on the list is the investigation into the shooting of 18-year-old Ashley MacDonald, a distressed teen who was shot after allegedly threatening officers with a knife, and the recent revelation that police were being trained to plant evidence during searches.

These tarnishes can often drag a city down, but Coerper, who has been described as having a “hands-on style,” can rise above it.

He can start by fulfilling his campaign promises to add more police officers to the downtown beat. He can help shepherd the new plans to turn Main Street into a pedestrian shopping area.

There is the newly approved development of a senior center and other big-time retail and resort-like projects on the docket that need his attention.

Despite the bad headlines of the last year, Huntington Beach’s future can and will be bright. We’re confident of that, and we are also confident that Mayor Coerper will be the right guy to make that happen.