Was there ever a doubt? Zimmerman's time has come

Bill Zimmerman was at the center of the dais by the end of Wednesday's City Council meeting. Menifee 24/7 photo: Doug Spoon

Two months ago, Menifee residents were mourning the loss of a very popular mayor, Neil Winter.

One month ago, there was no consensus among Menifee City Council members about how to handle such a difficult situation.

Funny how things work out sometimes.

Forced by a state-imposed deadline to make a decision on a replacement Wednesday night, council members did the smart thing under the circumstances. Whether that excuses their indecision in two previous meetings is up for debate. The bottom line is, they got their man when they appointed Bill Zimmerman mayor.

Zimmerman might have won the City Council District 3 seat in 2012, had it not been for public sentiment for Wallace Edgerton, a career politician who was the incumbent and had previously served as Menifee's first mayor. Zimmerman lost by 402 votes among the 4,552 votes cast for the two candidates.

In the same election, Scott Mann was elected mayor. Zimmerman, who was serving as chairman of the Menifee Planning Commission, was replaced by another appointee. It was enough to sour anyone on public service.

Zimmerman's response?

He continued his tireless efforts with Arts Council Menifee and the Menifee Valley Historical Association -- two of the most active and influential groups in town. At the same time, he was involved with an effort to create what has become the 3,000-member Boys & Girls Club of Menifee Valley.

As if that wasn't enough, Zimmerman had just been appointed to the Mt. San Jacinto College Foundation's Board of Directors. By 2014, he had been elected to the MSJC Board of Trustees, most recently serving as president. And until his appointment on Wednesday, he was also a member of the Parks, Recreation and Trails Commission.

Zimmerman, 55, recently retired from his position as a civil engineer. He understands the factors involved in public infrastructure. A Menifee resident since 1989, he has witnessed the city's growth explosion and has experience in addressing the challenges.

You think this guy might be qualified to serve as mayor?

We may never see another civic leader fill the role of "People's Mayor" exactly the way Neil Winter did. Yet it's highly doubtful you could find anyone better to replace him than the man his friends call Billy Z. He has the commitment, the passion, the availability and the expertise to lead Menifee in a positive direction when strong leadership is most needed.

For the record, we still agree with council member Matt Liesemeyer that such an important position should be filled by election, not appointment. The government code allows for that as an option if the council fails to reach a consensus for appointment. In the last two council meetings, that appeared to be the case.

But by the time it got to Wednesday night, the only alternative to appointment was to let the situation go to a special election in March 2019 with an estimated cost of close to $250,000. One could argue that the council's decision to appoint was strictly a financial one. That certainly was a factor, but three of the four council members had already made it obvious they were going to appoint a successor, one way or the other.

Neither council member stated it publicly, but both Mayor Pro Tem Lesa Sobek and former Mayor John Denver were reported to be seeking the appointment. In the previous council meeting June 20, Sobek seconded Greg August's motion to appoint her mayor when no one else would; the motion failed. When August made a motion to appoint Zimmerman, neither Sobek nor Denver would second it. Liesemeyer, standing on principle in his belief there should be an election, didn't, either.

In the next council meeting nearly a month later, some minds had changed. Council members waited to listen to all the public comments on the subject before voting, basically at the suggestion of city attorney Jeffrey Melching. But Denver was ready to make a motion right from the start. When he finally did, August seconded the motion and Sobek voted yes as well for a 3-1 majority to appoint Zimmerman mayor. Liesemeyer, also expressing his support of Zimmerman, said he voted no only to stay true to his beliefs.

So in the end, egos were put aside and common sense prevailed. Zimmerman might very well have won the mayor's seat even if an election had been held in March. But this way, a quarter of a million dollars was saved and the council is back to the standard five members.

So if you see Billy Z at City Hall, at a local function or anywhere around town, say hello and pledge your support. This guy knows what he's doing, and the city council appears to be unifying again.

Finally, we can look forward and not back.