By Olin Ericksen
Staff Writer

December 6 -- After a week of hushed speculation and open predictions, Richard Bloom and Herb Katz -- two council members backed by some very different constituencies -- will each serve one-year terms as mayor.

Bloom, who served as mayor from 2002 to 2004, will hold the post over the next year, with Katz serving as Mayor Pro Tem, while Katz, who has never held the top post, will be mayor in 2008, with Bloom serving as Pro Tem.

And once again, Council member Pam O'Connor cast the decisive vote for mayor, who largely serves as the City’s figurehead, guides meeting agendas and, some believe, has an added advantage when running for reelection.

In a session where scores of members from the powerful tenants group, Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights (SMRR), were jubilantly sworn in as newly elected officials, all eyes turned to O'Connor as she cast her vote on the divisive issue.

As expected, O'Connor, who is a SMRR member, became the swing vote on the seven-member council, with fellow SMRR members backing Council member Kevin McKeown and the three non-SMRR members throwing their support behind Katz.

O’Connor, who has long had a strained relations with McKeown, was not expected to vote for her SMRR running mate, although he was the top vote getter in the race for three council seats last month.

"She's a tough lady, I'll tell you," former Mayor Michael Feinstein, who was defeated after failing to win SMRR’s endorsement two years ago, said after O'Connor’s vote.

O’Connor’s support for Katz comes two years after O’Connor was the swing vote that made SMRR rival Bob Holbrook mayor, angering leaders of the tenants group.

In a complicated dance that takes place ceremoniously every two years, each of the council members Tuesday went once around the dais and voiced their pick for mayor and mayor pro-tem.

Three slates of names were put forward by SMRR council members Ken Genser, Pam O'Connor, and Bob Holbrook, who has led the SMRR opposition on the council for more than a decade.

O'Connor made the first move, nominating SMRR member Bloom for two years, with McKeown as a mayor pro-tem.

That proposal was backed only by O'Connor and Bloom in the first round of voting.

Genser then nominated McKeown as mayor for two years, with Herb Katz -- who with Council member Bobby Shriver often sides with Holbrook -- as Mayor pro-tem.

But only Genser and McKeown backed the nomination.

The winning proposal -- forwarded by Holbrook -- captured four necessary votes, after O'Connor changed her vote and backed Bloom and Katz.

Predictably, Holbrook, Katz and Shriver – all SMRR opponents – also backed the motion.

"I'm very honored with this and looking forward to working with Mayor Bloom," Katz said as the council members stood to take their newly assigned spots. " I think it’s going to be a good cohesive council."

Bloom -- a family attorney who heads the non-profit firm, Levitt and Quinn -- said he is also looking forward to tackling City business as Santa Monica’s new mayor.

"We have a lot of work in the next few years,” Bloom said. “It’s an honor to be back in the chair. It's a great town I know we all love and we will be working together."