Third of three parts
Re “Ironies That Dot Monday’s City Council Meeting”
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Since the ceremonial but nonetheless coveted title of Mayor of Culver City will change hands in several hours, it is appropriate to open this final installment on outgoing Mayor Andy Weissman with his summation of a new City Council policy:
“The purpose of the Mayoralty rotation policy is to give everybody (on the Council) an opportunity to be mayor.
“The input that the (former) City Manager and City Attorney had was to design it so that discussion of the next mayor comes when you select the Vice Mayor.
“The Vice Mayor becomes Mayor at the end of his one-year term. So the argument over who the Mayor will be comes the year before when the Vice Mayor is selected.”
When tonight’s City Council meeting begins at 7, Mr. Weissman will step down, Vice Mayor Chris Armenta will be elevated, member Scott Malsin will be hailed as the top votegetter in the April 13 election, and Jeff Cooper will be welcomed as the newest Councilman.
Mr. Cooper relieves Gary Silbiger, term-limited after eight years on the dais.
Mehaul O’Leary, starting his third year on the Council, is expected to be voted the Vice Mayor this evening since he will be the only veteran Councilman who never has been Mayor.
Before the policy was enacted last year, “I was discouraged by some from moving forward with this,” Mr. Weissman said.
“They thought it was important not to put a divisive figure in as Mayor merely because the person was part of the rotation. I disagreed fundamentally because we have a fairly collegial group up there. The ideological Mayor is the exception more than the rule.”
Question: Have you always been a leader because you have held such a position with every city commission/group/council that you have served for decades?
“It is as much a matter of one’s personality as anything else. I have been a leader in the sense that I am not afraid to share an opinion, willing to speak not only when asked but when I feel it is important to say something. I suspect in various groups, the people who are more prone to be outspoken get the leadership roles. It is not a role for the timid.”
Mayor Weissman, a belated happy 60th birthday. You are the one Councilman whom no one gets mad at. Your observations, no matter the dispute, always are measured, never controversial.
“That is just me.”
Can that be traced back to your growing-up years?
“My father (also an attorney) was this way, from a role model standpoint. My mother was the prototypical 1950s homemaker. Her role was to run the house, not to get involved in causes or things. Besides being a lawyer, my father (Alvin) was a Planning Commissioner, one of the founders of Temple Akiba and president of the temple. He was involved in activities similar to the ones I have been involved in. My mother was a mah-jong player, she played pan, she would clip coupons and shop at three or four different markets. My father was quiet, not as outspoken as I can be. Frankly, though, I don’t consider myself outspoken. I speak when I need to.”
For sheer experience, the youthful Mr. Armenta, the Mayor-to-be, a tremendously collegial politician, is at the opposite end of the well-seasoned Mr. Weissman.
Further, his style of leadership will establish new rhythms during a new year that is about to commence.
