Councilman announces fall resignation

Deirdre Newman

Two-term City Councilman Gary Adams announced Tuesday he will resign

his post this fall, leaving the council with a vacancy in its ranks

for the second consecutive year.

Adams announced his intentions to his colleagues in an e-mail,

saying a job promotion will take him and his family to Washington,

D.C.

Last year, it was Councilman Gary Proctor who left the dais. He

was replaced by a council appointment -- Steve Rosansky.

This time around, it’s still unclear which process the council

will chose to replace Adams, since his date of departure from the

council isn’t concrete yet, Mayor Tod Ridgeway said. Tuesday

afternoon, Adams said he will probably be resigning from the council

around the middle of September.

The council’s options are appointing a replacement or letting

voters decide by putting it on the ballot. Rick Taylor, who ran

against Adams in 2002 and is now in a different district due to

redistricting, commended Adams for his diligent work on the council

and called for a general election to replace him.

“I think the people should clearly have a right to vote on who

they want appointed and not have someone picked by the council,”

Taylor said. “The council may not be so lucky the next time around.”

Former Mayors Evelyn Hart and Jean Watt seconded that opinion.

Hart said the council has plenty of time to prepare for an election

for Adams’ seat, especially since there’s already an election slated

for November.

“Then [whoever wins] could take their seat right away and still

have a full two years,” Hart said.

She said she didn’t know of any time that the council had more

than one appointment among its members.

Adams has been on the council for 5 1/2 years and before that

served on the Planning Commission for 4 1/2 years. He said he regrets

having to leave the council before his second term is up.

“I feel bad that I’m not able to complete my commitment for my

final term, but feeding my family comes first,” Adams said.

Among his duties as councilman, he represents the city on the San

Joaquin Hills Toll Road Governing Board. Some of his proudest

achievements have been helping to finalize the annexation of Newport

Coast and working to initiate the general plan update, he said.

He also will miss his colleagues on the council, he added.

“They’ve been a great group of people to work with, and I’ve

enjoyed it very much,” he said.

Ridgeway, a colleague on the council and the Planning Commission,

lauded Adams on his promotion.

“It’s obviously something he’s worked long and hard to attain, and

I think it is ultimately a career move for him,” Ridgeway said.

Adams will be moving to Washington, D.C., to oversee the

transportation operations division on a worldwide basis for Parsons

Transportation Group. The division includes things such as

development of public/private partnership highway projects and

parking operations.

He will be heading to Washington once he has fulfilled his client

obligations in Orange County, he said in his notice to city

officials.

* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4221 or by e-mail at [email protected].