Chapter closes on Somers ‘tenacious’ term

Jennifer Kho

COSTA MESA -- The same word leaps to her former fellow City Council

members’ minds when they think about Heather Somers -- tenacity.

“I will remember her tenacity,” said Councilwoman Linda Dixon at a

farewell party at City Hall this week for Somers and fellow outgoing

council colleague Joe Erickson. “She did her homework and was just a good

person to work with and serve with. I’ll miss her.”

Mayor Libby Cowan and Erickson agreed.

“Her personal way of doing business is very tenacious,” Erickson said.

“Her heart has been in the right place, and I know she is going to stay

involved in the community. She was just a very good council member. I

think her biggest contributions, in my opinion, were to lessen density in

the area of small-lot developments and to strengthen our emergency

services.”

Somers, who began her council term in 1996, was edged out of a second

term in the November election. Councilwoman Karen Robinson beat her by a

mere 32 votes.

Somers said she enjoyed her time on the council and is proud of what

the council accomplished during her term.

“I’m going to miss working with the people and being a part of what’s

making a difference in Costa Mesa,” she said. “That’s really why I ran

for the job -- to make things better for the community. And I think our

council did that very well.”

Somers said she fulfilled her election promises by working to open or

improve a number of parks -- including a Shalimar Drive pocket park,

TeWinkle Park, Fairview Park and Lions Park -- and to begin such

community emergency programs as the Community Emergency Response Team,

Trauma Intervention Prevention Sites and a CPR program for high school

students.

Somers has also been highly involved in airport issues as part of the

Orange County Regional Airport Authority board.

Cowan said Somers will be remembered as a community advocate.

“She really worked hard for what she believed in,” Cowan said. “I saw

tremendous growth in her as a council member and her understanding of how

to get things done. I really miss her.”

Somers said she plans to stay involved.

“Certainly issues will continue to keep me entrenched and active,” she

said. “I’m still going to be very much engaged in the airport issue. I

think it is going to have a huge impact on our community, much more than

people realize just yet.”

Beyond those plans, Somers said she is still in limbo -- between jobs

and undecided about whether she’ll run again for a council position.

Either way, Somers said she would continue to use what she has learned

to try to improve the city.

“I see the need for really dedicated people to get and stay involved

in things,” she said. “Being on the council versus being a community

advocate, you get a much better understanding of the process. It’s

excruciatingly long, and it very definitely teaches you patience. And

Costa Mesa is a really great community that must continually strive for

greatness.”

FYI

HEATHER SOMERS

AGE: 44

OCCUPATION: Works in the communications-public relations field, but is

between jobs

FAMILY: Three children -- Scott, 18; Gregory, 14; and Laurel, 10 --

four dogs and a lizard

EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Cal State Long Beach

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: Orange County Regional Airport Authority board

member, Costa Mesa Community Foundation, former president and vice

moderator for women at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, member of the

Parent Faculty Organization at Kaiser Elementary School and former

president of the Eastside Homeowners Assn.