NORTH COUNTY : Five City Councils Select New Mayors

Five north Orange County city councils chose new mayors this week.

In La Habra, Beth Graham was appointed mayor on a 4-0 vote with one abstention, replacing William Mahoney.

Councilman Douglas J. Bystry abstained and voiced objections to the process.

“I strongly favor an equal, fair and rotational basis for the selection of mayor in our city,” he said. Bystry has served for three years on the council and said he felt it was his turn to become mayor a year ago.

In Brea, former Mayor Pro Tem Carrey J. Nelson replaced Gene A. Leyton as mayor by a unanimous vote. Nelson, who previously served as mayor in 1983-84, said his election was “deja vu. “

In Fullerton, the council unanimously appointed Councilman A.B. (Buck) Catlin to serve as mayor, succeeding Molly McClanahan. It is Catlin’s second term as mayor.

In Placentia, Norman Z. Eckenrode was unanimously elected mayor, replacing Carol Downey. And in Yorba Linda, the City Council unanimously elected Gene Wisner, who also served in 1985.