No vote doesn’t mean no voice

EDITOR’S NOTE: On Tuesday night, the Newport Beach City Council will

begin deliberations about who should replace Councilman Gary Adams

and finish the final two years of his term. It will be the second

time in a year that the council has had to choose a replacement for

an resigning councilman. Following Gary Proctor’s resignation, the

council added Steve Rosansky to its ranks.

It’s as important a decision as the council will make. The person

they choose will not only have to step in and represent the

community, but that person will in two years have a decided advantage

if he or she chooses to run in the 2006 election.

At the Daily Pilot, we have finished interviewing candidates for

the Costa Mesa and Newport Beach city councils and will be offering

our endorsements in the coming days. We did not have time, however,

to interview the nine hopefuls seeking the council appointment. Nor

did we think it necessary, as it is the will of the six remaining

councilmen that will decide who joins them on the dais, not the will

of the voters.

But that doesn’t mean the community should not have an opportunity

to know a little bit about the people the council will be

interviewing.

This week, we sent questions to all nine about themselves and

pressing city issues. Their applications also are available on the

city’s website by clicking on the District 4 council vacancy link at

www.city.newport-beach.ca.us/

home.htm.

We encourage our readers to consider the answers carefully, and if

one stands out, let your councilman know what you think.

They can be reached by calling City Hall at (949) 644-3309 or by

the following e-mail addresses: Mayor Tod Ridgeway,

[email protected]; Steve Rosansky,

[email protected]; Don Webb, [email protected]; Steve Bromberg,

[email protected]; Dick Nichols, [email protected]; and

John Heffernan, [email protected].