Most Incumbents Win; Upset Occurs in La Habra Race

All but one of the incumbents won reelection in Tuesday’s municipal elections in La Habra, Tustin, Los Alamitos and San Juan Capistrano.

The turnout was light, 21% or less, because the elections were not held in connection with either a statewide or national election, and there were no controversial ballot measures to stimulate interest. Two council seats were at stake in each city except San Juan Capistrano, which had three on the ballot.

In an upset victory in La Habra, public relations executive Douglas J. Bystry, 23, edged out incumbent Mayor Pro Tem Kent Roberts, 43, for one of two at-large seats. Mayor William D. Mahoney, 46, won reelection as the leading vote-getter in the four-way race, which also included Steven D. Wilder, 27, a financial administrator. The turnout was 14.7%.

“I think they were ready for a change,” said Bystry, who had charged the incumbents, especially Roberts, with conflict of interest in their council dealings.

‘I Don’t Understand’

Roberts was unavailable for comment, but Mahoney, who waited as the votes were counted at City Hall late Tuesday said, “I don’t understand the way it’s turning out.”

In Tustin, incumbent Ursula E. Kennedy breezed to reelection. Said Kennedy, 49, as she watched the vote count: “I think it’s an honor to be reelected to a third term. . . . Did (actor) Clint Eastwood win (in Carmel)? I wanted to know if Clint and I both made it today.”

Campaign veteran John Kelly, 24, was finally successful in his fourth bid for a council seat. Kelly, who first ran for City Council at 18, ran on a “beat-the-machine” platform.

Kelly, who was awaiting returns at his family-owned beauty salon, said he had a “euphoric feeling” about his victory. “I have my work cut out for me.”

‘A Simple, Humble Servant’

He added that he was used to making concession speeches because he had never won anything, even when he was in junior high and high school. “I wish to be known as a simple, humble servant. . . . I’m looking forward to serving the people of Tustin.”

Kelly has been working recently at another family-owned business in Tustin, a book and greeting card store.

“I hope that the other council members will be able to work with me effectively,” he said.

Trailing the crowded field were Ronald H. White, Stephen D. Johnson, Jim Scott, John Norman Butler, James A. Niemiec, Eileen M. Dow and Clyde Tracy. The turnout was 21%.

Los Alamitos voters gave newcomer Alice B. Jempsa, an assistant principal and teacher, a council seat. Returns also showed that Mayor Anthony R. Selvaggi, 61, the only incumbent, won a second term. Robert P. Wahlstrom, Marianne G. Stiles, Thomas J. Taufer and Robert Y. Geraghty were trailing. The turnout was 20.5%.

Incumbents Triumph

In San Juan Capistrano, final returns showed that Mayor Phillip R. Schwartze, 42, and Councilmen Gary L. Hausdorfer, 39, and Anthony Bland, 47, swept to easy victories over challengers Jean LaBurn, a local businesswoman, and Russ Neal, a nuclear engineer. Turnout was a light 16.9%.

In La Habra, Bystry last week asked why Roberts, an incumbent, did not abstain from several votes on a redevelopment project that involved businessmen who are Roberts’ partners in other real estate ventures.

One of the businessmen in question was Roberts’ campaign co-chairman; another was a campaign finance co-director.

Roberts, a hotel owner whose family has lived in La Habra since 1923, said that he did not abstain from voting on the proposal because he had no personal gain or loss at stake--and thus no conflict of interest.

Nevertheless, Bystry--a UCLA political science graduate and co-owner of a public relations firm--still has a complaint over the matter pending with the Fair Political Practices Commission in Sacramento.

Meanwhile, Wilder had criticized Roberts and Mahoney, the city’s mayor, for their “many self-interests.”

Wilder, a financial management administrator with Rockwell International, said during the contest that both incumbents received campaign contributions from various developers and business interests.

Wilder charged that in some cases the contributions had prompted Roberts and Mahoney to abstain on key votes.

Mahoney denied the charges, saying he does not represent any special interests. During the campaign, both incumbents stressed their experience, saying it is necessary to attract new business to the community.

One Incumbent

In Tustin, Kennedy was the only incumbent on the ballot.

Johnson and Scott, who are roommates, garnered headlines by charging that Police Chief Charles R. Thayer had initiated an investigation of Scott in an attempt to undermine Scott’s candidacy. The issue dealt with Scott’s former use of another name, E. H. Winchester Jr. But the district attorney’s office cleared Scott last week of any wrongdoing.

In his fourth campaign for council, Kelly charged that Councilman Don Saltarelli, who was not up for election, along with Mayor Frank Greinke--who decided not to seek reelection--controlled Tustin with a political “machine.”

In Los Alamitos, the candidates ran low-profile campaigns for the three seats available.

Selvaggi, the lone incumbent, sought a second term. A former planning commissioner, Selvaggi serves on the Orange County Airport Land-Use Commission.

During the contest, Stiles promised to answer her telephone nightly to listen to residents’ concerns. Jempsa vowed that the parks and recreation program would meet the needs of a changing population, which has a growing number of young families. She also argued against use of the Los Alamitos Armed Forces Reserve Center by general aviation.

Involvement of Teen-Agers

Geraghty had said he would get teen-agers more involved in the community and would try to keep the city’s property well maintained.

In San Juan Capistrano, where two challengers bucked the three incumbents for at-large seats, Bland said the major issues affecting the city originate outside San Juan Capistrano, including “unmanaged growth in the south county and transportation problems. These things threaten the kind of life we have in this city.”

Hausdorfer said during the contest that the key issues were “the continued stability and cohesiveness of the community. The future of the city revolves around downtown redevelopment and development of several large parcels of land, which need to be treated with care.”

Meanwhile, Neal told voters he wants to see the downtown redevelopment plan put to a citywide vote.

And LaBurn claimed during the contest that local businesses need to be better represented in the city’s decision-making.

Times staff writers Bob Schwartz, Roxana Kopetman, Kevin L. Carter and Janet Zimmerman contributed to this story.

City Council Voting Results

La Habra

2 Vacancies

21 of 21 precincts reporting:

Votes % William D. Mahoney (inc.) 1,745 28.2 Douglas J. Bystry 1,613 26.1 Kent Roberts (inc.) 1,455 23.5 Steven D. Wilder 1,35 21.9

Los Alamitos

2 Vacancies

7 of 7 precincts reporting:

Votes % Alice B. Jempsa 801 26.5 Anthony R. Selvaggi (inc.) 753 24.9 Robert P. Wahlstrom 527 17.4 Thomas J. Taufer 458 15.1 Marianne G. Stiles 325 10.7 Robert Y. Geraghty 150 4.9

San Juan Capistrano

3 Vacancies

11 of 11 precincts reporting:

Votes % Phillip R. Schwartze (inc.) 1,38 25.5 Gary L. Hausdorfer (inc.) 1,37 25.3 Anthony Bland (inc.) 1,26 23.4 Jean LaBurn 703 13.0 Russ Neal 680 12.5

Tustin

2 Vacancies

15 of 15 precincts reporting:

Votes % Ursula E. Kennedy (inc.) 1,93 28.0 John Kelly 1,43 20.7 Ronald H. White 1,28 18.6 Stephen D. Johnson 635 9.1 John Norman Butler 499 7.2 Jim Scott 476 6.8 James A. Niemiec 343 4.9 Eileen M. Dow 204 2.9 Clyde Tracy 95 1.3