Long-time L. A. County Fourth District Supervisor’s Deputy Gail Tierney has retired. Gail has most recently been serving as Supervisor Knabe’s Arts/Education Deputy.
Pinole City Manager Belinda Espinosa, City Clerk Patricia Athenour and Assistant City Manager Michelle Fitzer will save the City about $70,000 during the next fiscal year by agreeing to take 16% salary reductions.
Stockton City Manager Bob Deis is reported to consider it intimidation that the local police union in Stockton is purchasing the home next to his. Bob lives near the University of the Pacific. The home next door is in foreclosure. He is quoted as saying, “It feels like I’m living in Chicago in the 1930s. It’s classic, old school intimidation.”
According to Gene Ghiotto of The Press-Enterprise, the State Mining & Geology Board is unhappy with Lake Elsinore’s efforts to oversee surface mines in the City. Lake Elsinore City Manager Bob Brady is addressing the appropriate issues.
In 2003 Self Magazine listed Vallejo–Fairfield–Napa among the great “healthy cities in America for women,” where women own 29% of the businesses, including 29 wineries.
Manteca City Manager Steve Pinkerton previously served as the Redevelopment Director in Stockton. Prior to that he worked for the Cities of Long Beach and Redondo Beach. He has a Master’s Degree in Economics from USC.
Forty students from East Middle School and Gauldin Elementary School participated in Downey’s Youth Government Day at City Hall last month. Jerry Caton is the Downey City Manager.
Indio City Manager Dan Martinez said that he has been informed that Indio’s City Attorney for almost a decade, Edward Kotkin, is no longer with the City’s legal firm of Woodruff, Spradlin & Smart. Omar Sandoval, who is with the firm and has served as Assistant City Attorney will step up to the City Attorney post.
Calexico City Manager Oscar Rodriquez and Chief of Police Jim Neujahr have been dealing with issues related to the local POA’s vote of “no-confidence” against a department Lieutenant. POA Vice President Luis Casillas is quoted by Silvio J. Panta of the Imperial Valley Press: “The purpose of the letter is to bring equality and transparency to the actions that the police administration had been taking toward their police officer subordinates.”
Andrew Clinger, currently the Director of the Department of Administration for the State of Nevada, has been tapped by the Reno Mayor to be that City’s City Manager. Andrew has worked for the State since 1997 following his 1995 graduation with a BA from the University of Nevada Reno. Kevin Knutson is the current Reno Interim City Manager. Former City Manager Donna Dreska resigned in February.
Fort Bragg City Manager Linda Ruffing was the City’s Community Development Director for a half-dozen years. She was appointed City Manager in 2006. Prior to joining the Fort Bragg staff she served as the Supervising Planner in Mendocino County, and before that she work for a number of Bay Area consulting firms.
Seven department heads in Hanford, including the police chief, fire chief and deputy city manager, have sued City Manager Hilary Straus for allegedly violating their rights to free speech over pay raises and job security. The lawsuit seeks a court order rescinding a City Council action in March making department heads “at-will” employees. Kevin Duggan, West Coast regional director of the International City-County Management Association, notes that department heads at most smaller cities are employed at-will.
Del Mar City Manager Karen Brust has been appointed to the San Juan Capistrano City Manager post.