COSTA MESA : Erickson Selected to Lead Council as Its Mayor

Joe Erickson was unanimously elected as the city’s mayor, replacing Sandra L. Genis, and Gary Monahan and incumbent Peter F. Buffa were sworn in as council members at this week’s City Council meeting.

Jay Humphrey, who served on the council for four years, stepped down, leaving the council chambers to the tunes of two Scottish bagpipe performers.

Humphrey, a pharmaceutical salesman, was replaced by Monahan, the manager of Henry and Harry’s Goathill Tavern, who garnered the second most votes in November’s elections.

Humphrey said he left his seat to spend more time with his family and his business.

Buffa, who is now in his third term, was unanimously elected vice mayor, a position the outgoing Humphrey previously held.

Will B. King, a Costa Mesa resident, suggested during a public hearing that the five-member council be expanded to seven. He said he thought the city was big enough to have a seven-member council and pointed out that under the current council, if one council member misses a meeting, there are only four members to vote on what could turn out to be an important issue.

But Genis, in a post-meeting interview, said Costa Mesa cannot have seven council members because it is a general law city, not a charter city.

Charter cities are generally older and have more flexibility under state laws while general law cities are governed by the state, Genis said.