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Nine seek City Council seats so far

Deirdre Newman

The field vying to replace former Mayor Karen Robinson is getting

crowded.

As of 5 p.m. Monday, five hopefuls had tossed their hats into the

ring. Four more submitted their applications by late Tuesday. The

deadline to apply arrives at 5 p.m. today. Robinson resigned Tuesday

to become an Orange County Superior Court judge.

The burgeoning list of candidates won’t make the decision any more

or less difficult, said Councilman Gary Monahan.

“I tend to think ... it’s definitely not a first-nomination vote,

and that people are going to have to feel each other out and see who

has support and who doesn’t,” Monahan said. “People are going to have

to be real honest with themselves as [Councilwoman Libby Cowan] has

said and have three or four people they’re willing to serve with

going in [to the process].”

On April 7, the council chose to appoint Robinson’s successor

rather than hold a costly special election in November. But if they

can’t agree on her replacement by May 15, the special election will

automatically be held.

The candidates listed on the city’s Web site at the end of the day

Monday were Karl Ahlf, Terri Breer, Bruce Garlich, Frank Michelena

and Heather Somers.

Ahlf, 18, lives on the Eastside and has been a familiar face at

City Council meetings for the past two years. Despite a speech

impediment, Ahlf expresses his views passionately. Ahlf was not

available for comment Tuesday, but his mother, Karin, said he is in a

continuation education program through the Newport-Mesa Unified

School District.

Terri Breer, 43, lives in the Mesa del Mar area and is active with

the Community Redevelopment Action Committee and the Mesa del Mar

Homeowners Assn.

“I want the opportunity to contribute to the future of Costa Mesa,

whether I’m the next council member or a community activist or

volunteering,” Breer said. “I want to contribute.”

Bruce Garlich, 66 and in his third year on the Planning

Commission, said he thinks his experience on the commission will

serve him well if he is appointed to the council.

“I think I can bring some skills and teamwork and

consensus-building that might be helpful to get [council members]

through some difficult issues on their plate right now,” Garlich

said.

Frank Michelena, 73, has lived in Costa Mesa since 1958. He lives

in the Mesa Verde neighborhood.

He is a semiretired lobbyist and served as chief of staff to

former county supervisor Bill Phillips. His lobbying achievements

include helping to bring the Anaheim Pond to Orange County and

bringing the Los Angeles Rams Anaheim Stadium, now known as Edison

International Field of Anaheim. He also was one of the key founders

of Childrens’ Hospital of Orange County.

He said he believes his experience and background are conducive to

serving on the council.

“I’ve always been pretty active in city and county activities and

am really supportive of business, but only when it’s done properly

and [causes] no major traffic,” Michelena said.

If Michelena is nominated, Monahan would probably not be able to

vote on the nomination since Michelena’s company contributed $999 to

Monahan’s reelection campaign in the fall. One part of the city’s

conflict of interest code characterizes as a conflict any campaign

contribution of $250 or more during the year before a council

decision involving the contributor.

Former mayor Sandra Genis, who wrote this part of the code, said

the intent is to preclude a person contributing more than $250 either

individually or through his or her company.

But Michelena could still be approved on a 2-1 vote since that

would constitute a quorum, said Acting City Atty. Tom Wood.

Heather Somers, who was on the council from 1996 to 2000, but lost

to Karen Robinson by 32 votes, was not available for comment.

Additional candidates who appeared on the city’s Web site late

Tuesday are former Planning Commissioner Walt Davenport, who was not

reappointed in February after serving for 22 years; former Mayor

Linda Dixon, who lost her reelection campaign in November; Art Perry,

a Costa Mesa Sanitary District board member and Estancia High School

activities director; and Mike Scheafer, the Costa Mesa-Newport Harbor

Lions Club president who will revive the Fish Fry on May 31.

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

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

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