by Garth Meyer
The mayor’s chair was empty at the Redondo Beach city council Tuesday night, as it has often been for open sessions for over a year.
But Tuesday night was different, a black ribbon was tied around the mayor’s seat. It was the first council meeting since Bill Brand died last Friday evening, after a five-year battle with lung cancer. He was three years into his second term, after two terms on the city council.
Current Councilman Nils Nehrenheim stood in for Brand at the Super Bowl Sunday 10k/5k. Before the start, he asked the crowd, “When you run by the power plant, go ahead and wave; goodbye power plant, goodbye Bill,” he said. “Thank you for everything you’ve done.”
Brand long sought the closing of the plant, which took place Dec. 31. That day he participated in the decommissioning ceremony.
At Tuesday’s council meeting, Nehrenheim told of the “outpouring of support for Bill, and the council.” Councilmember Paige Kaluderovic, new to the council the past year, paid tribute to Brand, saying, “It was really clear, he loved this city.”
An emotional Councilman Zein Obagi, Jr., normally talkative, said just a few words, thanking Brand for being “a strong supporter of District Four and me personally. We’re going to miss him.”
Councilmember Scott Behrendt, new to the council like Kaluderovic, commended Brand as a “person of great integrity and consistency.”
Mayor Pro-Tem Todd Loewenstein read a statement from L.A. County Supervisor Holly Mitchell, then told of how he first met Brand in 2007.
“I was immediately impressed by his intellect, magnetism, friendliness and above all, his humility,” he said. “… There were no pretenses with Bill. What you saw is what you got… While he didn’t live to see his dream of open space at AES, his dream still lives on among us.”
The council then voted on Brand’s last official act as Redondo Beach mayor — approving the appointment of Orhan Turner to the city’s arts commission.
Vacancy protocol
The Redondo Beach city charter requires the council to appoint a new mayor within 30 days to complete the 13 months Brand had remaining on his term. The interim mayor will serve until the March 2025 election.
If the council does not approve a new mayor within 30 days, Mayor Pro-Tem Loewenstein makes the appointment.
Had there been two or more years remaining on Brand’s term, a special election would be held.
All Redondo Beach residents, including current and former council members and commissioners are eligible to be interim mayor. ER
