Voters might elect mayor

Former City Councilman Gary Monahan is mounting a campaign to let voters decide if Costa Mesa’s mayor should be chosen by them, or should remain just another council member who gets picked by colleagues to wield the gavel.

He’ll try to convince the council Tuesday to put the issue on the ballot with California’s new, earlier presidential primary in February. While he hasn’t decided if he’d run for the mayor’s seat in a direct election, the veteran politician said he’s likely to run for some local office next year.

“I’m definitely leaning toward running for something,” Monahan said. “I don’t know what it is.”

Right now, Costa Mesa voters get the chance every two years to pick either two or three of their five council members. Council members vote among themselves every two years who gets to be mayor, a largely ceremonial job that includes running the meetings and showing up at events.

Both Monahan and Mayor Allan Mansoor have looked into the concept of an elected mayor, something six of Orange County’s 34 cities now have. Monahan in June asked the council to put it on the ballot.

Monahan and Mansoor seem to agree that an elected mayor would have more muscle in dealing with other government officials, though no significant powers over council colleagues would come with the job.

“I think it gives us more clout on any issue, any regional issue, or even issues such as illegal immigration,” Mansoor said. “It sends a stronger message of the direction we want to go in.”

As of Friday, Mansoor and Councilwoman Katrina Foley supported putting the question of an elected mayor before voters, Councilman Eric Bever and Councilwoman Wendy Leece said they were still deciding, and Councilwoman Linda Dixon said she hasn’t seen that it would benefit the community.

They’ll have to make several decisions if the issue does go to the ballot: Should the elected mayor be subject to term limits, should the position get additional duties and/or pay, and when should voters decide — at a regular or special election?

If the council puts the issue on the ballot and voters approve it, next year’s City Council elections could get a lot more interesting.

Monahan, who was on the council for 12 years and left due to term limits, would be eligible to run for a council seat next year. He said doesn’t know if he’ll run for council, school board — or mayor, if he has the choice.

Foley’s, Dixon’s and Bever’s council terms expire, but only Foley has said for certain she’ll seek reelection.

Mansoor, who was fundraising as recently as May, wouldn’t say whether he’d run to be elected to the post he has held since 2005. But if he and Monahan both decide they want the job, someone might have to back down.

“I think Allan and I have supported each other enough to where we wouldn’t have a brawl between us,” Monahan said. “It’s not something I would relish.”