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New leaders take the wheel

Paul Clinton

Winds of political change blew through the City Council chambers

Monday night, as four new council members took seats on the dais and

Surf City ushered in a new mayor.

The city also kicked off a new era in the city attorney’s office,

with Jennifer McGrath replacing 24-year veteran Gail Hutton.

In a brief ceremony, Connie Boardman traded her title of

councilwoman for that of mayor. Boardman first won election to the

seven-member panel in 1998.

Boardman compared her stint on the council to a roller coaster.

“No one runs for council because they want to sit back and enjoy

the ride,” Boardman said. “Everyone wants to help steer.”

Former Mayor Debbie Cook, who first won election with Boardman as

a champion of environmental issues, wished her colleague well. The

post is largely ceremonial, but filled with the rigors of public

appearances and an often lightning-rod status.

Boardman praised Cook’s leadership, as the former mayor presented

her friend and colleague with a white T-shirt, emblazoned with a red

target logo.

“What a role model this woman has been for how to be an effective,

creative, intelligent mayor,” Boardman said. “I cannot tell you how

much I’ve learned.”

Cook also handed Boardman the city’s gavel, which is used to bring

order to the council’s twice-monthly meetings. Cook retains her seat

on the panel.

Four new faces joined Boardman, Cook and Pam Julien Houchen on the

seven-member council. Cathy Green, who was named mayor pro tem, Jill

Hardy, Dave Sullivan and Gil Coerper replaced Ralph Bauer, Shirley

Dettloff, Peter Green and Grace Winchell.

Green was the top vote-getter in the Nov. 5 election; she replaces

husband Peter, a two-time mayor who had held his seat for 16 years.

Bauer, a 10-year councilman, Dettloff, an eight-year veteran, and

Winchell, a two-time former mayor, all retired from their seats.

Winchell was appointed to her seat a year ago to serve out the

term of former Mayor Dave Garofalo, who stepped down before being

indicted by the district attorney on charges of conflict of interest.

“Now, I happily re-enter the world of retirement,” Winchell said.

Sullivan, the former president of watchdog group Huntington Beach

Tomorrow, held a council seat from 1992 to 2000 before he was termed

out.

Coerper, a retired Huntington Beach police officer, promised to

“do a damn good job” as a councilman.

Hardy, a Huntington Beach High School math teacher, said she was

grateful to the voters who put her in office.

Hardy said a student told her she would be a good councilwoman

because she “didn’t have that power trip thing going on.”

In replacing Hutton, McGrath said she was excited to begin work.

McGrath has been a deputy city attorney for seven years.

As for the city’s direction, Boardman said 2003 would be a

challenging year for Surf City.

“I expect the state will try to find money to balance its budget

by reducing funding cities receive,” she said.

* PAUL CLINTON covers City Hall. He may be reached at (714)

965-7173 or by e-mail at [email protected].

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