'KIDS' ROCK CITY HALL WITH NEW MEMBERS, IT'S NO LONGER YOUR FATHER'S COUNCIL.

Byline: Rick Orlov and Mariel Garza Staff Writers

It has been the biggest turnover in city history: Eight new City Council members came to power within the past year thanks to a combination of death, term limits and new jobs.

And with their eagerness, their promises to constituents in their campaigns and the weight of the job and term limits, this new breed has made mistakes as they rushed to make their marks, often leaving older members looking askance.

``This is not your father's City Council,'' is the most often-cited phrase around the horseshoe where the 15 members sit each Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday when the council conducts the city's business.

``You can say that again and again and again,'' said veteran political consultant Joe Cerrell. ``I remember visiting the City Council years ago and everyone had gray hair. Now, I see these kids running City Hall and wonder what happened.''

Cerrell, who himself has become a City Hall institution because of his friendships with council members over his career, said he is enjoying the change.

``I am not a fan of term limits,'' Cerrell said. ``I think you lose too many good people. But at the same time, if it wasn't for term limits none of these people would be in office. I find what they are trying to do is refreshing. It's really kind of a hoot to watch them.''

Councilwoman Wendy Greuel, the newest member with just 10 weeks in office, said the council's diversity brings a fresh perspective and new ideas. Like many of the newbies, Greuel has past experience at City Hall as well as the world outside.

``But I believe term limits have brought in fresh blood, and many of us bring the best of both worlds,'' she said.

Councilwoman Ruth Galanter has been dealt the hardest hand. When the new council took over last July, it voted to replace her as council president with Alex Padilla. Recently, Galanter saw her district moved from the Westchester-Venice area to the central San Fernando Valley - a move she bitterly fought but now seems to accept.

Padilla, the youngest member, is unapologetic about winning the presidency over long-time Councilwoman Galanter despite the scars it left behind. He acknowledged he made a misstep in dealing with the three African-American members by failing to appoint any to committees dealing with the inner-city or economic development.

``That's all in the past now,'' said Councilman Nate Holden, one of those who was angry. ``In politics, you don't get mad. You don't carry a grudge. You move on.''

Holden said he hears complaints because he forces many issues to be debated.

``You have to explain to them how things work sometimes. I know a lot of them get mad, but it's letting them know how things work. At the same time they complain, they spend an hour or two in debate.''

Councilwoman Janice Hahn said the veterans sometimes get impatient with the newcomers' exuberance.

``Every once in a while you see the eyebrows raise - 'Oh, gee, they don't know any better.' And every once in a while you get the lecture.''

The newer members say they are less patient about getting things done for their district than the longtime members - perhaps because they know the term-limits clock is ticking - and are less traditional in their approaches to the city's issues.

``We have attempted to show respect for the old-timers,'' said Councilman Ed Reyes, a former city planner and council staffer who joined the council last year. ``But we're open to looking at things differently and approaching them differently.''

Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski said it has been a smoother process than she anticipated.

``There is a learning curve, but these are very talented people who had to learn a lot and work hard to get here. I think they generally have done well.''

But some say the new council has accomplished little.

``It seems like all they do is revisit the same old problem and aren't making any real new initiatives,'' said Kris Vosburgh, executive director of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. ``So far, to me, it's like a big yawn.

``This is a high-tax city and you don't see the council doing anything about it or even trying to make the city more efficient and that's part of the overall problem. When people pay high taxes and don't think they are getting good services, it fuels discontent.''

Julie Butcher, general manager of Service Employees International Union Local 347, one of the largest city labor organizations, said she appreciates the energy of the new council.

``We were concerned they wouldn't understand some of our issues, but they have dug in and are sincere in dealing with quality-of-life issues. They make mistakes, but they don't mind admitting them and seem committed to what the city does.

``Part of it might be the fight over secession, but there is a genuine interest in the quality of services in their districts.''

In the last 12 months, the council has had to deal with a new majority, a new mayor, a new president, an economic slowdown, the specter of terrorist threats, a new City Charter, redistricting, and the fight over secession.

``We've definitely had trying times,'' said Councilman Dennis Zine.

Councilman Jack Weiss, half of whose district is in the San Fernando Valley, led the council's redistricting panel and has taken on anti-terrorism as an issue. Last week he was in Washington, D.C., for a conference on how local law enforcement can respond.

``I didn't anticipate getting that involved in terrorism or in some of the city issues. I never pictured myself as being in charge of redistricting.''

What those assignments have done, he said, is increase his confidence in his ability to perform as well as of the full council's ability.

``I think that we have a chance to show people the city can work. There is so much negativity out there about government; we have to show the public that we can deliver services.''

The new council members point to a number of accomplishments such as completing redistricting of the school and city district boundaries, the affordable housing trust fund, building community programs such as the neighborhood councils and the neighborhood prosecutor program, as well as debating the future of the Police Department and responding to the breakup threat to the city.

``We'll be more aggressive (in coming months) in getting our jobs done,'' Reyes said. ``But you don't have to be rude, you don't have to attack people. You can agree to disagree.''

If the new council started out the year with high hopes of meeting all its goals, the group is ending the year a little more world-weary.

``Everybody comes in with great expectations about changing the world and paving all the streets, and fixing all the sidewalks and trimming all the trees,'' Hahn said. ``The stark reality is we're so far backlogged that if we paved a street every week it would take years.

``The reality hit in terms of ability to do what we wanted to do. I think for all of us, we came up against the bureaucracy and departments that weren't as responsive as we wanted them to be.''