Thousand Oaks’ New Mayor and Councilman Assume Office : Transition: Zukowski gives inaugural speech; Fox is sworn in. Members bid adieu to Schillo and Fiore.

With bouquets of flowers, hugs, kisses and only the barest indication that trouble might be brewing, the Thousand Oaks City Council seated a new councilman, elected a new mayor and bid a fond farewell to two longtime council members Tuesday night.

Firefighter Andy Fox, the top vote-getter in the Nov. 8 election, was sworn into office and took a seat behind the polished dais for the first time as Councilman Frank Schillo and Mayor Alex Fiore stepped down after a combined 40 years on the council.

As the two veterans departed office to standing ovations from the crowd of more than 200, the question of who will fill the lone empty high-backed chair at the dais hung over the council chambers.

After 10 years on the council, Schillo is leaving to join the Ventura County Board of Supervisors in January. He announced last week that he would resign his council seat a month early to speed the transition between old and new councils.

His early resignation was seen by some as the ideal opportunity to appoint Police Detective Mike Markey, the fourth-place finisher in November’s election, to complete the two years left in Schillo’s term. Councilwoman Judy Lazar had even proposed last week that Markey be picked during Tuesday’s meeting.

But frequent allies Elois Zeanah and Jaime Zukowski rallied against Lazar’s suggestion, and the discussion was not included on Tuesday’s agenda. Both have since hinted they may oppose Markey’s appointment in favor of a special election.

If the four-member council splits on how to fill the seat, a special election will be held. Zeanah’s opponents suggest that she is resisting Markey’s appointment out of fear that he will provide a crucial third vote against her on controversial issues.

While the council conspicuously avoided the topic of Markey’s possible appointment Tuesday night, there was little question that it will be the first issue to test the accord of the new council when it comes up next week.

In her inaugural speech as mayor, Jaime Zukowski said she hopes to bring new harmony to city government, particularly to the council’s various committees.

“As mayor I will attempt to prevent the sometimes divisive nature of the council committee system,” Zukowski said in a prepared text. “We as a council all share in our successes and mistakes as a city. No achievement should be considered the token of any mayor or council member, but the sum of our efforts as a body of representatives.”

Enhancing public safety is her primary goal, she said. Although Thousand Oaks is the nation’s second-safest city among those with more than 100,000 residents--according to FBI statistics released last week--Zukowski said residents should set their sights on being second to none.

“By Thousand Oaks’ standards, gang and crime activity has become too frequent,” Zukowski said. “We are a young city. We should have less crime than older cities of 100,000. Maintaining a safe city is the greatest contributor to economic vitality and, of course, our quality of life. It has be put first.”

She said she will push for a storefront police station on Thousand Oaks Boulevard during her one-year term as mayor. She also hopes to establish a monthly or twice-monthly health, safety and environment forum for residents to learn more about upcoming issues before council meetings.

Zukowski assumed mayoral duties just as suspicions were aroused that she might be leaving the area. Her husband, Mark, is director of the inflammation research division at Amgen Inc., which is negotiating to purchase another biotechnology firm in Boulder, Colo.

But an Amgen spokesman said Tuesday it is likely only a dozen employees might be relocated to Boulder and there are no definite plans to move Mark Zukowski. And new Mayor Zukowski said she has no plans to leave.

“I have certain responsibilities here in Thousand Oaks and wish to concentrate on them,” she said.

The first two hours of the meeting were filled with remembrances of Fiore and Schillo, as government officials from every city in the county rose to praise them.

Fiore, who has been on the council as long as Thousand Oaks has been a city, received the key to the city, in recognition of his 30 years of service.

“Alex, it’s hard for me to believe that you’re sitting out there,” Lazar said to Fiore in the audience. “For me, Alex Fiore typifies what real community service is.”

Even frequent foe Zeanah had kind words for Fiore. “I’m a Fiore fan,” she said, unfurling a fan covered with photographs of Fiore that she had made as a gift for him. “I’m going to miss him a lot.”

Among the gifts and plaques piling up at the feet of Fiore and Schillo were state Senate resolutions read by state Sen. Kathie Wright (R-Simi Valley), framed copies of the Congressional Record honoring the two councilmen, and formal congratulations from former President Ronald Reagan, U. S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Gov. Pete Wilson.