There was much unspoken drama when incoming Los Angeles City Councilman Mike Bonin spoke at the Current Affairs Forum luncheon Thursday.

The lawyers and lobbyists who packed the upstairs room at the Palm for public affairs consultant Emma Schafer's event were keenly interested in how the new councilman would perform. Most of them knew him previously as top aide to outgoing Councilman Bill Rosendahl and his predecessor, Ruth Galanter. But being an elected official is different.

Would he conform, for example, to the city council’s basic rule: Do what Herb tells you, Herb being Council President Herb Wesson, who tries to run the council in what he perceives was the style of legendary State Assembly speakers Willie Brown and Jesse Unruh. How will the experienced, Harvard-educated Bonin react to the Wesson rule of “my way or oblivion?”

And what about Gina Marie Lindsey, executive director of the airport? Bonin and the incoming mayor Eric Garcetti opposed moving a key runway closer to Westchester homes and Lindsey favored it. Now, Lindsey, who gave Bonin a rousing introduction at the lunch, wants to be re-appointed by Garcetti. Bonin, who represents the airport area along with much of West Los Angeles, will have a lot to say about her appointment. But there were no answers at the lunch, except Bonin saying people “who oppose each other on issues can work together.” Much of the luncheon crowd does business with the airport and those folks hung on every inconclusive word.

To me, the most interesting question was how Bonin will deal with the Wesson regime. I didn’t think Rosendahl, the outgoing councilman, was treated well by Wesson or by the previous council president, Eric Garcetti. Rosendahl’s showy but valuable way of spotlighting issues he cared about didn’t go over well in a council where disagreements are settled in backrooms before they get to the bland public council meetings. His colleagues were polite enough, but they marginalized him, making some big decisions without him.

David Zahniser of the Los Angeles Times obliquely brought up the Wesson style when he asked if Bonin favored the president pro tem’s rushing through a $25 million tax break for shopping mall developer Westfield’s Topanga project. The deal is a perfect example of the Wesson-city council style. Bonin ducked, saying he didn’t know enough about it.

In his talk, and in answer to questions, Bonin was sharp and seemed on top of things. I liked what he sarcastically said about some of the developers he’s met, who tell him they want leadership from him when they really mean is “screw your constituents.” He wants developments around transit stops to be designed intelligently instead of being thrown-together housing blocks.

He’s soft spoken and relaxed on the podium in contrast to the frenetic Rosendahl. He’ll get along better with his colleagues. The unanswered question is what he will do when confronted with the backroom power plays over housing and development, the council’s bread and butter.

I drove over to the Van Nuys city hall Friday to see my friend June Sale honored by the Los Angeles City Council for her decades helping children. It was a fine event both for June and for the way it called attention to the work of people assisting foster children and youngsters who need after school care.

Of all these people, June is one of the most remarkable. At the age of 89, she often drives from her Los Angeles home to places as far away as Lancaster to check up on and counsel foster children as a volunteer for the county’s Court Appointed Special Advocate program. These trained volunteers, appointed by judges, visit foster children in homes, following them about as they go from home to home, handling some of the most difficult cases, including abused youngsters. June told me she was presently looking after a two and a three year old.

On Friday, she was honored for yet another activity, her years of service to LA’s Best, the organization formed by Mayor Tom Bradley to provide after-school care for elementary school students. It now provides care for 28,000 boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 12.

After being introduced and praised by Councilman Tom LaBonge, June spoke briefly, keeping within the two minutes allocated her, devoting her time to praising the women and men who have worked with her over the years. Looking on was her husband Sam, family members and many friends. She and Sam are celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary this weekend.

I got to know them several years ago on a theater tour of London. Sam noticed my daily habit of buying several papers, bringing them into breakfast in the hotel dining room, giving some to my wife Nancy and then reading without talking to anyone. He found my behavior odd. Nevertheless, we got to talking, and saw we shared an interest in politics and college sports. The four of us have been friends ever since.

These children's programs in which June and her fellow volunteers participate are vital to Los Angeles County and to the rest of the nation.

The Republican-caused sequestration of federal funds has eliminated funding for after- school programs. LA’s Best and other programs will have to work hard to even slightly fill the gap.

Amid all this, it’s good to know that people like June Sale are quietly making life better for children who need help.

Of all the complaints about Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, the dumbest one is that he is leaving office broke and looking for a job.

The most vivid example of this was an LA Weekly article making fun of the fact that the mayor doesn’t have money and is seeking work.

If that’s true, thank you, mayor. Thank you for spending much of your life in public service and not profiting from it.

As is the case with most of Villaraigosa’s critics, the Weekly covered his pursuit of women, his divorce, his hanging out with Charlie Sheen in Mexico and accepting free tickets for events he had to attend as mayor. These were troubles he brought on himself. But they shouldn’t define his two terms as mayor. Nor will they after a few years have passed.

That’s how it is with mayors. Jim Hahn was scorned as boring when he left office and criticized for political fund raising. Looking back, it’s clear Hahn was a mayor of great courage who had the guts to get rid of then Police Chief Bernard Parks.

Dumping the African American chief probably cost Hahn his re-election bid, as he may have known it would, but it cleared the way for the appointment of Chief Bill Bratton and a police department reform that has made Los Angeles a better place. And his fund raising—which I criticized while on the Ethics Commission—was for the worthwhile campaign that defeated Valley secession. Secession would have fragmented the city. By defeating it, Hahn helped save L.A.

Tom Bradley’s long tenure—with accomplishments too numerous to list here—was dimmed by his fifth term, his decision to stick around too long and to associate with some financial types who dealt with the city. Those are forgotten now as the Bradley years are recalled as an iconic period in the city’s history.

Mayor Richard Riordan was criticized for not getting along with the City Council, which I thought was an admirable trait. That is being forgotten and he will be remembered for the sense of stability he brought to the city after the 1992 riot and the charter reform that greatly strengthened the power of the mayor.

So it will be with Villaraigosa. His legacies are the growing network of commuter rail lines and other transportation projects that are slowly changing the city and his continued support of the reform police administration that Hahn made possible.

So good luck mayor in your search. You deserve a good job.