Council Grapples With Departure

The election of former Diamond Bar City Councilman Gary G. Miller to the state Assembly might well break the deadlock over the speakership in Sacramento, but it also creates an uncertain few months for the council he leaves behind.

The remaining council members are scheduled to discuss how to handle the open seat--created by Miller’s election last week to the seat formerly held by Assemblyman Paul Horcher--at the next regular council meeting on June 6. The Diamond Bar politician was recalled last week after he renounced his Republican affiliation and voted to keep Willie Brown as speaker.

However, council members say they probably will not hold a special election to replace Miller before the regular election in November. And they concede that there is little chance that three of them will agree on an appointee to fill the slot.

“I personally don’t think we’re going to agree on anybody,” said Councilwoman Eileen R. Ansari. “The feelings are so strong and the council is so divided [that] it would have to be a very special person to fill that space.”

Councilman Gary Werner was slightly more sanguine about the prospect of finding a replacement for Miller.

“It’s remote, but it’s possible,” he said.

Miller, who often sided with council members Phyllis E. Papen and Werner on key development votes, now leaves a four-member council that is likely to split on major issues.

“Basically, I think we have a 2-to-2 council,” Papen said. “I’m just waiting to see if we can work to build consensus and negotiate agreement on difficult issues in the city.”

In the five years since the city was founded, the council has found itself in bitter controversy over the preservation of open space and development. The disputes have been so contentious that they have sometimes resulted in accusations of corruption, bribery and even assault between council members.

Councilman Clair W. Harmony, who formed a minority voting bloc with Ansari in opposition to several development proposals, said he looks forward to wrestling with these issues on an evenly split council.

“We’re not going to have three members trying to ramrod everything through,” he said.

On Tuesday night, the council put off for a month a decision on the new General Plan.

“I think there’s too much anger and hostility right now for us to agree on anything,” Papen said.