Howard Medwed, a CCA vice-president, said only a small minority of people did not agree with Dowds' leadership style.

"I think that there were some people who did not get along with Phil Dowds," he said. "Most people, with in the CCA, did. Phil was an active, vigorous leader of the CCA."

But Medwed said he expects Malenfant to operate with a leadership style different from Dowds.'

"It's not better and it's not worse," he said. "I see her as continuing he role of the CCA."

In an interview yesterday, Dowds said that while he had offered to serve as CCA president for a third year, he is not bitter that is term of office is ending.

"It is customary for CCA presidents to serve two years," he said. Dowds said he approves of the choice of Malenfant as his successor.

"She came back to the CCA and onto my 1994 executive committee partly at my urging," Dowds said. "I'm very pleased now that she is moving up the ladder to the presidency."

Dowds downplayed the negative portrayals of his leadership style.

"There was a time when Jimmy Carter looked like a turkey," he said. "Views of political figures can and will change over time.

Dowds said his only regret in leaving his CCA position is that he wishes he had become involved in civic activism earlier.

"I have been active in Cambridge public affairs in many roles for more than a decade, and I plan to stay active," he said. "I was a late starter."

The New Leader

Malenfant, who currently serves as a CCA vice-president, supports placing a Stop and Shop on Memorial Drive and has contributed productively to the discussion of issues concerning Cambridge's schools, Gregory said.

Winters, who considers Malenfant a "great friend," said she is a full-time grass-roots activist.

"What she does for a living is civic activism in a constructive way," he said.

Winters said Malenfant has been active in issues concerning the development of the Central Square area.

Malenfant, currently on vacation, was not available for comment for this story.