Candidates lining up to throw hats into city council ring

Alicia Robinson

A list of potential city council candidates in Newport Beach and

Costa Mesa has started to take shape since Monday, when the period to

take out petitions to run in November opened.

As of the end of the day Tuesday, Newport Beach City Councilmen

Steve Bromberg, John Heffernan and Steve Rosansky had taken out

petitions. Costa Mesa Planning Commissioners Katrina Foley and Bruce

Garlich and resident Samuel Clark also pulled papers, according to

the city clerks’ offices.

Candidates have until Aug. 6 to file petitions signed by at least

20 residents.

Heffernan took out the petition, but is still undecided as to

whether he’ll commit to the race by filing it, he said. Rosansky, who

was appointed to the City Council in 2003, has said he will

definitely seek election to the seat this fall.

Three of Costa Mesa’s seven council seats are up for grabs in

November -- those held by Mike Scheafer, who has said he’ll run for

reelection; Chris Steel, who hasn’t announced a decision and could

not be reached for comment Tuesday; and Libby Cowan, who is termed

out of her seat.

The race in Costa Mesa is expected to be a lively one, with former

Mayor Linda Dixon and Planning Commissioner Eric Bever expected to

try for the seats.

“Costa Mesa is always a crowded field,” said Scheafer, who ran as

one of 14 candidates in 1994.

Incumbents in Newport Beach, where each member represents one of

seven districts, say they haven’t heard any rumors of who might

challenge them, but there are a few unknown factors in that race.

For one, the makeup of the council will change with the departure

of Councilman Gary Adams, who announced last week that he’ll leave

the council this fall when he relocates to Washington, D.C., for a

job promotion. So far, no challengers have come forward in Newport

Beach, but Bromberg said he’s still prepared for a vigorous campaign.

“I always go in with the assumption that I’m going to be

challenged,” Bromberg said.

* ALICIA ROBINSON covers business, politics and the environment.

She may be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail at

alicia.robinson@latimes.com.