Serving the community in a different way

There were no black ties. No hundred-dollar tickets. No campaign

supporters. No corporate sponsors.

Yet Newport Beach politicians and officials across the board went

out of their way this week to address large groups of constituents

who couldn’t even vote. Say Greenlight to these Newport Beach

residents and you will get a small mob of toddlers rushing toward a

finish line somewhere.

Newport Beach City Officials agreed to partake in the “Story times

with City Leaders” series this week in recognition of National

Library Week at area libraries. Mayor Steve Bromberg, Councilman Don

Webb, Firefighter and bag pipe player Brian Slater and Police Officer

Jeff Brouwer were among the officials who swapped lengthy staff

reports on sewer drainage for colorful children’s books.

Not a bad trade.

Webb, also known as “Walking Don Webb” during campaign season,

went above and beyond the call of duty Tuesday, giving an

award-winning performance of Giorgio by Patricia Whittman, library

spokeswoman Melissa Adams said.

“I really think Don Webb deserves an extra round of applause,”

Adams said after hearing about the councilman’s animated performance.

“He really put on quite a show.”

Webb read and acted out a story about an Italian gentleman who

took on too many tasks around town. Giorgio, the main character, ran

a quaint and successful service station, cafe and garden. For each

task, Giorgio would wear a distinct hat, and the townspeople would

know what role he was assuming.

It was the hats that attracted Webb to the story.

“The librarian picked the book out for me after I asked for

something with hats,” Webb said. “I have quite a hat collection and

it turns out I had hats for all the occasions.”

As the story progresses, many of the other professionals in town

get sick, or for some reason, cannot perform their jobs. Giorgio,

being the go-getter that he is, takes on various jobs, including

station master, postmaster and fisherman.

Each time Giorgio took on a new task, Webb donned a new hat and

thrilled the children with colorful props. The councilman had

coveralls and a squeegee for his gas station gig; envelopes to hand

out while he played postman; a net filled with colorful fish that he

cast out over his bright-eyed audience and tomatoes and peppers to

represent the garden.

He was animated, he was funny he was lively -- all pretty common

for popular politicians -- but he was also sincere.

“It was great fun,” Webb said.

In the end, Giorgio ends up taking on so many tasks, none of which

he knows how to do well, and becomes so busy and tired he finally

quits. In the end, Giorgio goes back to doing what he loves best:

cooking, gardening and serving.

The moral of the story: You can’t be everything to everyone.

How perfect for a city leader who is expected to make definitive

decisions on everything from cable service contracts and historical

theater exemptions, to police contracts and temple heights. Thank

goodness for staff reports.

Webb said he could relate to the story.

“When you look at things you sometimes have to realize what your

limits are and you can only do things well if you don’t do too many

things,” he said. “It is also important to do what you do well.”

Webb can now add story-telling to the list of things he does well.

“It is so nice for the kids to see our city leaders up close and

personal, instead of from behind a podium or on Channel 3,” Adams

said.

Performances by Bromberg and Brouwer are scheduled for 10:30 a.m.

Saturday at Newport Beach Central Library at 1000 Avocado Ave. and

Balboa Branch at 100 E. Balboa Blvd, respectively.

Linda Katsouleas, the Library Services Director, will read at

10:30 a.m. Thursday at Newport Beach Central Library.

* LOLITA HARPER writes columns Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and

covers culture and the arts. She may be reached at (949) 574-4275 or

by e-mail at [email protected].