Culver City Observer -

By Lynne Bronstein

Observer Reporter

Every April, Culver City's city council performs the spring rite of choosing a new Mayor and Vice Mayor. Since there are only five members of the City Council the ritual isn't filled with suspense. The members merely rotate the positions, with the previous year's Vice Mayor usually ascending to the position of Mayor.

This year, there was probably even less suspense than usual because the terming out of two council members next year meant that these two members were certainly going to get their final turns as Mayor and Vice Mayor.

And so it was that Micheal Mehaul O'Leary became Culver City's Mayor for the second time and Andrew Weissman was elected Vice Mayor, a position he actually has not held before (he has been Mayor twice).

The two men were elected (unanimously of course) before a large audience at City Hall that included members of O'Leary's family.

As per the tradition of family members pinning the officials with the city's mayoral pin, O'Leary's mother performed that task for her son. Weissman noted "My wife couldn't be here tonight so if Mehaul's mother would like to pin me...." And yes, Mrs. O'Leary did fasten the pin on Weissman, who gave her a hug.

"This will be an interesting year," remarked a man in the audience who then broke into a chorus of 'When Irish Eyes Are Smiling." (O'Leary hails from Ireland).

When City Assistant Manager Martin Cole told the officials that they could speak on their appointments and also pay tribute to outgoing Mayor Meghan Sahli-Wells, Weissman began by stating that "I've never been one to shy away from a few words."

But he was relatively brief in his remarks, congratulating Sahli-Wells for her "tremendous year" and praising her for her outspokenness. "You always made me think."

Weissman also mused on how he and O'Leary have both been on the council for seven years, having been elected at the same time. "It's been an excellent run. I'm looking forward to serve the city with the rest of my colleagues in the days ahead."

Jeff Cooper lauded Sahli-Wells for the "sense of decorum" that had characterized her run as Mayor. "Regardless of whether we agreed or disagreed on issues, the Mayor kept us Even-Steven."

He also said that he admired Sahli-Wells' "passion for many causes, expanding those causes beyond our local city."

Jim Clarke thought that "this year went by quickly" and that Sahli-Wells had had a "great relationship with everybody."

Vice Mayor Andrew Weissman

Sahli-Wells had herself summed up her run with her State of the City address the previous week. She told O'Leary that it would be a pleasure to have him as the new Mayor and also that he was coming in at "a critical moment" for the need for water conservation, an issue where O'Leary has "taken his role very seriously."

Finally, O'Leary spoke, dittoing his colleague's praises for Sahli-Wells, especially the even-handedness. "Even when we disagreed, you made me understand your position."

"I want to thank all of you for your confidence in choosing me for your next Mayor," he continued. "I will honor that confidence and hope to make you and the residents proud of my role as Mayor."

Unable to not sneak in a witticism, he added "I did have a longer speech but I left it at home.

"But I just got a text from a local Irish pub and they found it-so I can do it there!"

(O'Leary owns Joxer Daly's Irish Pub in Culver City).