FULLERTON : New Roles, Faces on City Council

At an emotional ceremony this week, veteran Councilman Richard C. Ackerman bid farewell as the council selected Councilwoman Molly McClanahan as mayor and A.B. (Buck) Catlin mayor pro tem.

The three winners in the Nov. 3 council election--Julie Sa, incumbents Chris Norby and Don Bankhead--also were sworn in before a crowd of about 150 people Tuesday night.

Ackerman, who decided not to run for reelection this year after serving 12 years on the council, stood next to the podium and listened as council members and residents reminisced about his accomplishments.

Catlin had put together a humorous slide show he called “Dick Ackerman--the Golden Bear from Long Beach.” It began with pictures of Ackerman as a baby and followed him through his youth in Long Beach, his undergraduate years at UC Berkeley and his legal studies at Hastings College of Law. Catlin joked that Ackerman is a “card-carrying Golden Bear.”

State Sen. John R. Lewis (R-Orange) also presented a plaque of commendation to Ackerman.

Bill Schumard, athletic director at Cal State Fullerton, presented Ackerman with a football jersey in appreciation of Ackerman’s drive to provide city funding for the new Titan Stadium. The shirt was numbered “92” for the year the stadium opened. “It didn’t take me long to see what a true Titan fan Dick is,” Schumard said.

Sa, the newly elected councilwoman, gave a brief speech after taking her seat with the council. “I promise that because you voted for me, I will work real hard,” she told the gathered crowd.

After the ceremonies about 100 people--council members, friends and family--went to the Ice House for a buffet meal and drinks.