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Council does a good job at picking ranks

Tuesday night, for the third time in as many years, the Newport Beach

City Council has the daunting, important task of appointing a new

member to its ranks.

The council’s last two appointments, of Councilman Steve Rosansky

and Councilwoman Leslie Daigle, proved good ones, we think. Both

council members have been active, decisive and unafraid to lead on

issues important to them and their constituents. Our opinion of

Rosansky was echoed last fall by voters, who elected him to a full

term in office. Daigle will face the voters in 2006.

Also facing voters that year will be whomever the council picks to

replace Mayor Steve Bromberg, who is leaving his seat to become an

Orange County Superior Court judge. This position will have the

unenviable task of running for the seat earlier than it normally

would -- Bromberg was reelected in the fall and had until 2008 before

he was termed out -- and then having to run again in 2008, to set the

district elections back in order. Of course, the person will be

running from a position of obvious strength as an incumbent, which is

part of what makes the appointment so important. It also is what has

some in the community complaining, as they have in the past, that the

council should send the open position to a special election right

away. Council members have shown no particular inclination to do so,

so unless four of the six are unable to agree, don’t count on it

going to the ballot.

The encouraging factor is that most of the applicants have

extensive experience in City Hall, serving on a number of the city’s

commissions, and several have deep roots in the community.

Those factors, we think, should play the most significant part in

the council members’ decision as they answer this question: Which

candidate has the best understanding of the city and the best sense

and knowledge to make tough decisions?

And if they choose poorly, then it will be up to voters to tell

the council just that.

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