Foley not concerned with vote

Costa Mesa City Councilwoman Katrina Foley, skiing with her family during the City Council’s meeting Wednesday night, shrugged off concerns that the board elected Eric Bever as the city’s new mayor in her absence.

While noting her appreciation of the support expressed by fellow Councilwoman Linda Dixon, Foley said Bever’s ascension wouldn’t prompt any serious policy changes on the council.

“I don’t think it really matters if you’re in the position of mayor or not, if you’re going out and doing good work for the community,” she said. “A lot of this is probably causing a lot of drama without having much real impact.”

Councilwoman Linda Dixon, however, was not as forgiving of the council’s decision to elect a mayor in spite of Foley’s absence.

While conceding that Foley’s presence would’ve failed to affect the council’s final decision, Dixon suggested the council’s scheduling was nevertheless calculated to avoid Foley’s presence on the dais and that it marked a lack of respect for the councilwoman.

“I don’t know what the urgency was,” she said. “I just think it would’ve been appropriate to have five members, five elected members there to vote in new officers it would’ve been the courteous thing to do.”

Dixon defied the Bever-Mansoor-Councilwoman Wendy Leece majority and nominated Foley as Bever’s replacement as mayor pro tem.

The motion was not seconded, and Mansoor was ultimately elected as mayor pro tem in a 3-1 vote.

Some suspect Mansoor’s early exit from his second term may be an effort aimed at strengthening Bever’s chances of reelection in 2008.

Bever, Leece and Mansoor frequently compose a 3-2 majority on controversial issues, and an electoral loss for any of them could reverse many of the council’s key initiatives.

“I think that the decision was made before the meeting — well, I’m sure it was,” Foley said when asked to comment on the speculation of the motive.

“I don’t think that you would put forth someone’s name for mayor without asking if they wanted to be mayor.”

Foley alleged Mansoor had privately expressed his view that Bever “would make a good mayor” when he first announced his intention to step down from the position.

Councilwomen Dixon and Leece both denied they had been given any such indication prior to the vote, however.

“It was not a grand conspiracy or anything like that,” Leece said, characterizing the changes as routine reorganization.

“It was more so just Eric’s turn, and time for Mr. Mansoor to step down.”

“He’s been mayor pro tem under Mr. Mansoor’s wing, and it’s his time to lead,” she added. “I think he brings creative solutions to the problems we have, especially in the area of planning and development.”

Efforts to reach Bever and Mansoor were unsuccessful.

CHRIS CAESAR may be reached at (714) 966-4626 or at [email protected].