Mayor discusses city issues over dinner

Noaki Schwartz

NEWPORT BEACH -- More than 400 civic and community leaders gathered at

the Newport Marriott Thursday night for Speak Up Newport’s 19th annual

Mayor’s Dinner and state of the city address.

Mayor John Noyes spoke to the audience about the city’s goals for the

next year, including plans to update the General Plan and having a

citywide survey.

“I’m looking forward a year with a lot higher community involvement,” he

said.

Noyes also spoke about preserving Newport Beach’s quality of life. He

said he believes Newport is being besieged by land sea and air, telling

the crowd that he wanted “future generations to look back and know that

we were thinking of them.”

The master of ceremonies was Daily Pilot columnist and former Costa Mesa

mayor Peter Buffa, who described Newport Beach as “one of the jewels in

the crown of American cities.”

The Sunshine Award, which annually honors significant members of the

community, was given to Phil Sansone, who has been described as the

“mayor” of Corona del Mar.

However, Sansone was unable to personally accept the award because he had

recently moved to Hawaii. Accepting the award on his behalf was

Councilman Dennis O’Neil, who said Sansone had sent him a fax, which said

he regretted not being able to accept the award in person.

“Lift one for me,” Sansone said in his message. “Make mine a Canadian

soda.”

The event’s keynote speaker was Newport resident and sports super agent

Leigh Steinberg, who said he encouraged famous athletes like his clients

to be good role models in their communities.

He said they could make a difference and change the behavior of “young

rebellious teenagers.”