Selich voted in as mayor

The Newport Beach City Council unanimously reelected Mayor Ed Selich to a second term Tuesday night, passing over Councilwoman Leslie Daigle for the mayoral seat.

“I thank my fellow members of the City Council for electing me to anther term, and I accept it with humility,” Selich said. “I promise to do as good a job as I feel I did in the last year.”

As mayor pro tem for 2008, Daigle was in line to serve as mayor in the coming year.

The mayor position typically rotates between council members on an annual basis, with the previous year’s mayor pro-tem usually advancing to the mayoral seat.

Daigle, who told the Daily Pilot last month that she felt she deserved a turn to be mayor, delivered a short speech from the dais after the vote.

“I am proud to be an elected official in the community and proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish. I am fortunate enough to be able to serve,” Daigle said. “That satisfaction far exceeds the sting and wariness of any battle against my critics. I’ve always striven to be part of the solution and not part of the problem.”

Councilman Keith Curry was unanimously elected as the new mayor pro tem Tuesday, taking Daigle’s former seat on the dais to the right of Selich.

For the most part, Selich has enjoyed a popular first term as mayor. He has won praise from his fellow council member for moving plans ahead to build a new city hall at a rapid pace. The city chose a new architect for the project last month — two weeks ahead of schedule. The council was previously split, 3-4, over building a new municipal complex in Newport Center.

Selich ran unopposed in November to retain his District 5 council seat.

The council also voted Tuesday to approve a contract with David Hunt to become the new city attorney.

Hunt, who is an expert on land use and development and natural resources, previously worked in the Orange County office of the law firm Sheppard Mullin. He worked with Newport Beach on a lawsuit against the city of Irvine, which the city won earlier this year.

In the suit, the cities of Newport and Tustin argued that Irvine violated state law and approved building projects in the area known as the Irvine Business Complex near John Wayne Airport without doing the proper research on how it would affect the environment.

Newport Beach will pay Hunt an annual base salary of $220,000 to serve as city attorney, according to city documents.

BRIANNA BAILEY may be reached at (714) 966-4625 or at brianna.bailey@latimes.com.