From SB to HB

The big news of the day is the announcement that City Manager Fred Wilson is on his way from San Bernardino to Huntington Beach.

Coincidentally, this reporter's first job after college was in Huntington Beach. For much of 2004, I spent my work weeks splitting time between the "Huntington Beach Independent" and "Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot."

I spoke briefly with Debbie Cook, Huntington Beach's mayor on how she sees Wilson fitting in at that city.

"Hopefully he fits well," she said.

Cook said Huntington Beach officials liked that Wilson has managed a city of comparable size to Huntington Beach and that he has worked for San Bernardino for many years.

Cook said she has not followed recent news reports relating to the Operation Phoenix situation.

Current issues in Huntington Beach include development of mixed-use developments. The restoration of the Bolsa Chica wetlands - a hot topic for many years in Surf City - is almost completed she said.

In terms of population, Huntington Beach is about the same size as San Bernardino but much more affluent. The city generally has a low-crime rate and when this reporter worked there, political debates generally centered on issues of development versus environmental concerns.

I covered schools and public safety for the Independent, rather than politics, but I remember the political culture in Huntington Beach as being less aggressive than in San Bernardino. The city doesn't have the dynamic of a strong-mayor and elected city attorney that can institutionalize disputes in San Bernardino.

That's not to say the town's some kind of Mayberry. My colleagues covered real estate scandal there that cost a city councilwoman her post and her freedom. The LA Times reported on Sept. 26 2006 that former councilwoman Pam Julien Houchen was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison after she confessed to mail and wire fraud.

Prior to my arrival in Huntington Beach, Orange County prosecutors pursued a case against former HB Mayor David Garofalo for conflict-of-interest violations. The Orange County District Attorney's office boasts on its Web site that Garofalo ended up paying more than $49,000 in fines and was banned from holding public office.

I'm not including the history to criticize any of HB's current officeholders or predict that Wilson will face any similar political explosions over there. It's just to show that there's a lot more that happens in Huntington Beach than surfing.