LAGUNA BEACH : 3 Council Members to Be Sworn In Today

The city will ease into a new political era today when three City Council members are sworn into office and residents get their first glimpse into what new leadership might mean to the city.

In what will undoubtedly be an emotional transition for some, Mayor Ann Christoph and council members Robert F. Gentry and Lida Lenney will relinquish their jobs.

Christoph, who served only one term, lost in her bid for reelection. Gentry and Lenney, who together helped guide the city through a decade of liberal activism, did not seek another term.

Many have speculated that the city will take a sharp turn to the right politically.

But the newly elected council members have promised to govern with moderation, focusing attention on the basics of city government, including enhancing public safety and the city’s infrastructure.

Gentry, who was the first openly gay elected leader in Orange County and an outspoken advocate for gay rights, admitted that it will be tough to relinquish the reins after 12 years.

He lost two houses in last year’s firestorm and decided not to run for reelection so that he could concentrate on rebuilding.

“It’s hard, but it’s got to happen; I’ve got work to do,” Gentry said Monday. “I feel almost like a parent sending his or her child off to college. I hope they do the right thing, make the right decisions and make the family proud, so to speak.”

Taking the oath of office will be real estate broker Wayne J. Baglin, attorney Steve Dicterow and Paul Freeman, a community relations specialist.

Baglin served on the council in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Freeman was a city planning commissioner.

Mayor Pro Tem Kathleen Blackburn, the council’s only female member, is expected to be voted into the mayor’s seat.