It’s Usual Burbank Politics as 2 Sworn In to Council

On the surface, it was all smiles and hugs during the Burbank City Council “changing of the guard” ceremonies Wednesday.

Ousted council member Mary Lou Howard, the most senior member of the panel after 12 years and its first female member, said a gracious goodby to her colleagues, most of whom had openly clashed with her. All the councilmen--except Robert R. Bowne--presented her with a token of appreciation and kissed her as she exited the platform.

Councilman-elect George Battey and incumbent Bowne, who won the two open seats on the council in April’s runoff general election, were then sworn in before an overflow crowd in the council chambers.

The new council, which is all male for the first time in 12 years, chose Michael Hastings, a restaurant co-owner who was first elected to the council in 1985, to succeed Tom Flavin as mayor.

But despite the congratulatory atmosphere, it was politics as usual.

Tim Murphy, Howard’s lone ally on the council who after two years should have been in line for the vice mayor’s job, was passed over in favor of Bowne. The move meant that Murphy, who served as Howard’s campaign manager, will probably be the only current councilman who will not get a chance to serve as mayor during his four-year term.

The vote seemed to signify an act of retaliation against Howard and Murphy, who often clashed with the other three council members.

The pair blamed other council members for letting high-rise development and large projects get out of hand, particularly near residential areas. They felt neighborhoods were being increasingly overrun by noise, pollution and loss of privacy that they blamed on development.

But the majority of the council--Hastings, Flavin and Bowne--contended that more restrictions on development would hurt the city’s economy. They said the council was already balancing the concerns of residents with the need for new development.

Murphy, who was elected to the council in 1989, downplayed the slight by his colleagues. In fact, when Battey, in his first act on the council, nominated Bowne as vice mayor, Murphy seconded the motion.

“I felt it was the classy thing to do,” Murphy said. “This was not something I got to talk to anyone on the council about beforehand. They did what they wanted to do.”

When asked whether he was angry that he probably would not get an opportunity to be mayor, Murphy replied: “I would have gladly accepted it if it had been offered to me and if I had the confidence of the council. Apparently, I don’t. But that’s fine. I’m a classy guy. No wars, no wars.”

The mayor’s one-year term is largely ceremonial, and the mayor’s vote does not carry any more weight than those of the rest of the council members.

Hastings, who served previously as mayor in 1987, said he would outline his specific goals at next Tuesday’s council meeting.