New leaders take the wheel
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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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