First of two parts

Re “Presumed Final Score: Mayor Cooper, Vice Mayor Small”

Former Mayor Steve Rose looked and listened closely last evening from his favorite Council Chambers perch when the City Council elected a new mayor.

One question gnawed at him:

Was this a fair way to choose fresh leadership every year?

Mr. Rose has missed few meetings since he was term-limited in 2008, nine years ago this week.

He speaks from the perspective of authority even though he is the rarest Culver City find, a conservative.

He was aroused by new Vice Mayor Thomas Small’s remarks here yesterday about the method of choosing a new mayor and vice mayor each April.

Mr. Rose traced the genesis of the current rotation policy back a decade to his former colleague and political opposite, Gary Silbiger.

“One year Gary felt he was cheated out of becoming mayor,” Mr. Rose said.  “He insisted that the City Council should use a rotation system for choosing a mayor and vice mayor.”

Stepping wide of his role as a diplomat, the former Councilman left no doubt of his opinion.

“Personally, I think rotation is a dumb idea,” he said. “All of the liberals said it was better to have rules (than a wide open field of candidates). They ;ole the rules the way they are now, that in a year Thomas will step up from vice mayor to become mayor.”

Instantly, Mr. Rose pounced on what he perceives to be a crucial weakness in the present system.

“In the story,” he said, “Thomas did not commit to having (Councilman) Goran (Eriksson, the next in line) as his vice mayor next year when he becomes mayor.”

(To be continued)