O’Neil thinks twice about summer break

Mathis Winkler

NEWPORT BEACH -- Councilman Dennis O’Neil didn’t think residents would

care when he brought up the idea of a summer break for Newport Beach’s

City Council at the body’s last meeting Aug. 8.

O’Neil himself had simply thought skipping a session during vacation

time might end sparsely attended council meetings and ensure that

important decisions take place with all of the city’s elected

representatives present.

But after three residents rejected the idea in letters to the editor

to the Daily Pilot, O’Neil said the response shocked him.

“We have bottled water for employees at City Hall,” said O’Neil. “Is

that something citizens care about?”

He added that an extension of the flight limits at John Wayne Airport

beyond 2005 or the annexation of Newport Coast were issues of real

importance that he’d like to focus on. Spending more time on the summer

break suggestion made no sense, O’Neil said.

“What is the benefit of discussing it any further?” he asked. “Because

it doesn’t make any difference to me one way or another.”

Summer breaks for city councils have been introduced elsewhere.

Irvine, Mission Viejo and Rancho Santa Margarita, for example, all take

recesses in August. But the Costa Mesa City Council doesn’t take time off

during the summer.

Councilwoman Jan Debay said that a summer intermission might not be

such a bad idea. Because of term limits, Debay will leave the council

after the November election and would not be affected by a break next

year.

“It gives staff more time to work on other issues,” Debay said. “They

would have time to work on other issues rather than putting a [council

meeting] agenda together.”

City officials said that making time for other work wasn’t the issue.

“We will do whatever the council wants,” said Homer Bludau, Newport

Beach’s city manager. “If they want to hold special council meetings

every day, we are here to serve.”

But Bludau added that one less council meeting in the summer might

make it easier for city employees to schedule vacations during that time.

“People would know that they could take time off then,” he said.

Mayor John Noyes, who will also leave the council after the November

election, said he didn’t think the issue warranted discussion.

Councilman Tom Thomson said he didn’t have strong feelings for or

against a summer break.

Council members Norma Glover, Tod Ridgeway and Gary Adams could not be

reached for comment Friday.

Glover had previously said that she supported a summer break, while

Ridgeway said Newport Beach was too big a city to give council members a

recess.