Burbank’s Council Names Robert Bowne New Mayor

After years of being passed over because of bitter rivalries on the Burbank City Council, Councilman Robert R. Bowne was finally chosen Monday as Burbank’s new mayor.

Bowne, 44, was appointed unanimously during a changeover ceremony at Burbank City Hall by a newly constituted council that vowed to work together to eliminate the animosity that has characterized the council in previous years.

Bowne will serve in the largely ceremonial post for one year.

The council selected Bowne as mayor even though he is regarded as the only pro-development member of the five-person panel. Bowne said that he knows there will be disagreements on the council but that he will be able to work cooperatively with colleagues. “I think we’ve got the kind of council that can discuss issues intelligently, debate them and then move on,” Bowne said.

Appointed to Seat

Bowne, an attorney, was appointed to his seat by the other council members in 1984 to succeed departing Councilman Larry Tate. He was elected to the council in 1986.

Bowne boycotted the changing-of-the-guard ceremony two years ago when he learned that colleagues were going to pass over him for a third time in appointing a mayor and vice mayor.

Council members pick the mayor and vice mayor from their ranks, by custom rotating the positions by seniority. But Bowne said he was passed over in favor of other council members with less experience. He accused them of “political cronyism and back-room deal making” that kept the mayor’s position within a certain clique.

The others countered that they had been elected to the council, while Bowne had been appointed.

Others Sworn In

Newly elected Councilmen Tom Flavin and Timothy Murphy were also sworn in Monday. Flavin and Murphy succeeded Al F. Dossin and Mary E. Kelsey, who were defeated in municipal elections. Flavin was appointed vice mayor.

Incumbent Councilman Michael R. Hastings was sworn in for a second four-year term.

In addition, retired bank executive Jim Rogers formally succeeded Jack Whitney as city treasurer, and Merle Woodburn was sworn in for a second term as city clerk.

Monday’s proceedings lacked the insulting remarks that have been made at other changeover ceremonies. Last year, council members made several disparaging comments about each other during the ceremony.

Bowne and other council members said the bitterness is behind them.

Potential Disagreement

However, some city officials predicted that the first major disagreement may come tonight at the new council’s first meeting. Bowne said he wants to restructure the portion of the meeting during which members of the public address the council.

Bowne and other members said too much of the meetings were being taken up by council critics and gadflies who spent more time attacking the council than commenting on specific agenda items. He said he wanted to organize the meeting so that those with comments on specific items would speak just before those items were considered, while those with other concerns could address the council at the conclusion of the meeting.

However, council members Mary Lou Howard and Hastings said they favor the current system.