George Perez’s departure wasn’t alone, however, as the council also fired the city attorney, and placing several other employees on leave.
This is just the latest of the small cities around Los Angeles to face reform or upheaval after Bell. Unlike Vernon, which faces disincorporation from the state, Cudahy is finding a political backbone for the first time since Perez became city manager. Since then, he had ruled all aspects of public life uncontested.
He had been hired to his position while he was serving on the city council, and the people who put him in office remained on the council without a contested race until recently. And during that election, the challenger had his home firebombed.
From the Los Angeles Times:
The Cudahy City Council, in a short, hastily called meeting Monday night, fired controversial longtime City Manager George Perez, who has run the tiny southeast Los Angeles County town for more than a decade.
The council, voting 4 to 0 in closed session, also fired longtime City Atty. David Olivas, replacing him with Arturo Fierro, a partner in a firm that also represents Chino and Rialto.
The council placed City Clerk Larry Galvan and Human Resources Director Crystal Hernandez on administrative leave. Galvan promptly filed his retirement papers, saying “it was a pleasure” to have worked for the city.
Read the full article here.