In the last 18 months, few truly amazing stories have originated in the beleaguered City of Bell. Rizzo and his cohorts in crime continue to fill our papers with new discoveries of their allegedly unscrupulous behavior. They continue to amaze even the most jaded local government wonks.

However, while malfeasance in one local government can paint an entire sector of governance with a brush of impropriety, the selfless act of people like Ken Hampian can restore at least a modicum of trust and respect.

Ken Hampian was retired in July of 2011 when Bell was struggling to regain its traction. A new City Council had been elected after the implicated and indicted members of the former Council were overwhelmingly thrown out of office. However, their interim City Manager wasn’t able to find even a single applicant to take his place on a fulltime basis. That’s when Ken Hampian was persuaded by members of the International City Management Association, the California City Management Foundation, and the League of California Cities to take over as City Manager.

Before agreeing, Hampian had one demand: he would do the work pro-bono. With that stipulation in place, Hampian agreed to take on the job for one month. In exchange for a $59 a night motel room, a modest per diem for food, mileage reimbursement and a cell phone, Hampian jumped in to tackle three main challenges; to find a longer term interim (and perhaps permanent) CAO, to assemble a team of pro bono assistants like himself to help Bell get back on its feet, and to confront the facts of what challenges Bell’s City Council will have to deal with in the coming years.

“He was instrumental in finding the city’s new CAO and in communicating with the residents of Bell about the challenges ahead,” said Ryder Smith of Tripeppi Smith and Associates who works closely with the CCMF. “His work marked a turning point for Bell. He is truly a model for public service.”

Ken Hampian, for his work as the pro-bono city manager of Bell, and for setting an example of public service to officials at every level of government in the State, is being awarded with the 2011 PublicCEO City Employee of the Year.

Hampian’s example was contagious. Offers for pro bono assistance came flooding in from all over the state. Finance directors, independent consultants, police deputies, city managers and assistant city managers both active and retired asked to add their names to the list of people willing to come help in any way they can, all pro bono. The Institute of Local Government even proposed offering free training workshops on topics such as Effective city council meetings and Involving the public in the budget process.

When asked why they have offered to help they all give a variation on the same answer: it’s just the right thing to do.

“Bell was horribly abused by people who called themselves “public servants” and “staff” – so Bell residents could be very hostile to our profession,” said Hampian in an email to PublicCEO. “Instead, they regularly say how important honest professional staff support has been in their brave journey back.”

The announcement of Ken Hampian’s award comes as part of the Third Annual Local Government Awards, presented by PublicCEO.

Of the award, Hampian had this to say:

“Recognition by PublicCEO is a great honor that I wish to share with Interim City Manager Arne Croce, Bell staff and the many volunteers who have been inspired to serve in Bell. This collective effort that has exemplified what authentic public service and professional staff support can do for a community.”

PublicCEO is proud to name Ken Hampian as the 2011 City Employee of the Year.