Editorial:

Huntington Beach’s Charter Review Commission voted last week to recommend making the city’s mayor a directly elected position rather than one appointed by the City Council every year. According to the commission’s staff liaison, the change would have almost no impact on the mayor’s powers or duties, but would give him or her more clout in dealing with other politicians in the region.

On paper, the proposed change looks like a mere formality. But many local leaders, including current and former mayors, expressed strong feelings on both sides of the issue. Mayor Keith Bohr said rotating the city’s leader every year diminishes the power of the office and makes it harder to carry out long-term projects, while Commissioner Joe Shaw said a steady stream of mayors ensures that all political views are heard.

While we see both sides, we’re inclined to agree with Shaw. A mayor elected to a four-year term may appear a more influential figure to some, but because his or her duties would be no different than that of a council member, it’s hard to see how the change would make Huntington Beach a noticeably different city.

Tracy Westen, chief executive of the Center for Governmental Studies in Los Angeles, said there was no great difference in clout between a directly elected mayor and an appointed one. Larry Crandall, the vice chairman of the Orange County Sanitation District, and Joel Zlotnik, the spokesman of the Orange County Transportation Authority, voiced the same opinion, while a spokeswoman for the League of California Cities expressed indifference on the issue.

Moreover, we agree that giving every council member a chance at the top keeps Huntington Beach a diverse city. The seven council members represent different interests and different views, and having them each represent the city may be fairer than putting a single figurehead in office for four years.

In the last year alone, under Bohr’s tenure, the city has launched a solar energy program, hosted an elaborate centennial celebration and made strides toward a new Downtown Specific Plan and an annexation of Sunset Beach. That’s an impressive record for less than 12 months, and it seems unlikely that any of those goals would be easier to accomplish if the mayor were picked by voters.