From the moment Culver City’s Centennial celebration was conceived, City Councilman Jim Clarke, the birth father of the year-long party, announced that he wanted to serve those 12 months as mayor.

Felt right at the time – being at the helm throughout a rare historical interlude.

Hyper-active, hyper-involved, Mr. Clarke has been Culver City’s most dominant, most noticed, most newsmaking mayor in decades.

Five/sixths of the way through his mayoral term, however, Mr. Clarke not only is ready, he is eager to go home to the Centennial.

He was the face of the Centennial – until a few months before the fun started.

By his own wishes, Mr. Clarke was voted in as mayor last April, and the Centennial party opened in late September.

As Mr. Clarke enters his final two months in the mayor’s chair, a few regrets are clouding his mind.

He does not feel as close to the Centennial, his baby, as he did in the beginning.

“I regret that I feel this way,” Mr. Clarke said.

“I knew I was going to have to devote my energies to being mayor.”

Mr. Clarke recalled a joke cracked by Paul Jacobs, who served as mayor in the last century, and now holds a plum position.

“Anybody can be mayor,” said Mr. Jacobs, chair of the Centennial Celebration Committee. “But you can only be president of the Centennial once every hundred years.”

Mr. Clarke does not mask his feelings. “I miss not being part of the celebration,” he said.

In late April, a new mayor will be voted in., and Mr. Clarke knows where he is going.

He has one poignant wish. “Maybe when I am no longer mayor I can re-associate myself with the Committee,” he said.

“I would like to be more closely involved. I still care very much about it.

“I still see myself in at least being a cheerleader for the Centennial, and encouraging more participation.”

Centennial leaders from other communities warned Mr. Clarke that even the most enthusiastic persons are subject to burnout.

“I am concerned,” said the mayor, “that we maintain our enthusiasm, that we are out there encouraging organizations to put on events.”

His mission is unmistakable: “The idea is to make sure there is a continuous celebration.”