With all the coming’s and going’s in California local government, it can be hard to keep track of where your friends are or what’s happening in your neighboring municipalities. But Trackdown Management helps keep the state up-to-date with their newsletter.
PublicCEO presents his Picking Up the Pieces:
Retired veteran City Manager Joe Tanner, who retired from Vallejo, was recently appointed Interim City Manager in Rio Vista, replacing Interim City Manager Roger Wong. Joe is still pursuing legal action against CalPERS, who seemingly without reason reduced Joe’s pension.
CalPERS missed is goal of receiving a 7.5% return on its investments for Fiscal Year 2011- 2012. It reports a 1% return instead. Joe Dear is the CalPERS Chief Investment Officer. He said that the fund was impacted most by a minus 7% return on global equities. Half the CalPERS pension’s assets are invested in equities.
Veteran public manager Tom Mauk, 68, resign as the Orange County CEO on Thursday, July 26, 2012. Tom took the CEO post in 2004, and prior to that served as City Manager in La Habra, Whittier and Norco. He also served as an executive with MBIA Muniservices for a time. Bob Franz will serve as Acting CEO until an Interim CEO is appointed.
Nick Conway, 60, former Executive Director of the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments, has pleaded “not guilty” to corruption charges brought by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Public Integrity Division. A preliminary hearing has been set for August 29.
Retired Azusa City Manager Fran Delach has been appointed Interim Executive Director. Walnut, where the City Manager is Rob Wishner, has withdrawn its membership in the COG until the criminal investigation is resolved.
Ventura City Manager Rick Cole penned an Op-Ed piece printed in the Los Angeles Times entitled: Saving California’s struggling cities. His article is available at: http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary /la-oe-0724-cole-bankruptcy-san- 20120724,0,2241888.story
Fresno City Manager Mark Scott is recovering from a heart attack in early July. His doctors expect him to make a full recovery. Assistant City Managers Bruce Rudd and Renena Smith are handling Mark’s duties during his absence.
Mill Valley City Manager Jim McCann has appointed Jenny Rogers to be the city’s new Director of Recreation replacing Christine Sansom, who retired in January. Jenny comes from San Francisco where she served as the Cultural Arts Supervisor.
Buena Park City Manager Rick Warsinski, 58, retired last month. Rick worked with the Buena Park city staff for some-30-years, starting as a member of the planning staff, and serving the last half-dozen years as City Manager. Jim Vanderpool, Deputy City Manager, will take the open City Manager post. Rick says he plans on doing some planning consulting in the area, and he will dabble in the kitchen.
Ronald W. Stock is the current City Administrator in Weed. Ron is an ICMA Credentialed Manager. He graduated from Southwest Minnesota State University and the University of Denver College of Law.
Guadalupe City Administrator Regan Candelario, who will soon report to Fortuna to become City Manager, and Guadalupe City Engineer Dennis Delzeit, credit contract engineers, project managers and builders with the “on time” successful completion of a $4.75 million redesign and construction of the city’s new Biolac process wastewater treatment plant. Plant Operator Charlie Vasquez is excited by the new plant efficiency.
Newport Beach Assistant City Manager Dana Smith retires from Newport Beach August 3. During the past 30-years, Dana worked as Assistant City Manager in Napa and Chula Vista, and she served as the Executive Officer for the Orange County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) before joining the Newport Beach staff in 2010. City Manager Dave Kiff has indicated that there has been no decision yet about what to do with Dana’s open position.
Former Downey Planning Director Jack Wong is currently the Interim Planning Director in Long Beach with City Manager Pat West. Jack did a consultant stint after leaving Downey.
Veteran Lakewood City Manager Howard Chambers was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Greater Lakewood Chamber of Commerce. Congratulations Howard. Former Dairy Valley (Cerritos) Assistant City Manager Stanley Morgan, who is a past Mayor and Council Member in Anderson, is currently living in Vacaville.
Veteran City Manager Richard Rowe, retired from Barstow and previously served as City Manager in El Monte, Chino, Needles and La Palma, is the new
Interim City Manager in Canyon Lake. Richard takes over for Interim City Manager Deborah Harrington, who took over the duties when City Manager Lori Moss resigned.
Park City, Utah City Manager Tom Bakaly has been appointed to the Hermosa Beach City Manager post. Tom has worked for Park City since 1995 and he has served as City Manager since 2002. He is a former Budget Director for Pasadena.
Colusa terminated City Manager Jan McClintock, and appointed Fire Chief Randy Dunn as the Acting City Manager.
Aliso Viejo City Manager Mark Pulone has served in that post since 2005. After an annual performance review Mark was given a vote of confidence with a compensation increase.
With Assistant City Manager Fred E. Cohn retiring from the Monterey staff in July, Monterey Human Resources Director Mike McCarthy has been appointed Assistant City Manager. Fred served with the Monterey city staff from December, 1984…27 years and 8 months. Prior to joining the Monterey staff he was a Senior Administrative Assistant in Beverly Hills; a Senior Recreation Leader in West Covina; and a Teen Program Specialist in Fountain Valley.
With the retirement of Tracy Finance Director Zane Johnson in December, and with Human Resources Manager Maria Olvera leaving the Tracy staff, Los Gatos Assistant Finance Director Jenny Haruyama, 42, will be the city’s new Administrative Services Director, combining the two positions. Jenny has work for city government for some 20-years, with positions in Milpitas, San Leandro, Mountain View and Rancho Cucamonga, in addition to Los Gatos. She earned a BA at California State University, San Jose and an MPA at California State University, East Bay. Tracy City Manager is Leon Churchill.
Lisa Serna-Mayorga,39, a staff aide to Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, resigned after it was alleged that she inappropriately used her city credit card to make personal purchases. Sacramento City Manager John Shirey has ordered an audit of Lisa’s city credit card usage for the past three-years. Lisa is the daughter of former Sacramento Mayor Joe Serna Jr., who died in 1999. Her brother Phil Serna is currently a Sacramento County Supervisor.
Governor Jerry Brown has appointed Kathleen Dickinson, 53, of Vacaville, to be the Director of the Division of Adult Institutions in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Has served with the department since 1983, most recently as Associate Director.
Yorba Linda City Manager Steven A. Rudometkin has more than 40-years of public agency working experience, including 27-years as the Yorba Linda Director of Parks and Recreation. Steve is a California State University, Long Beach alumnus and has lived in Yorba Linda since 1978.
In June San Marcos Deputy City Manager Lydia Romero received recognition from the Alcohol Policy Panel of San Diego County for her efforts to reduce binge and underage drinking in San Marcos. Lydia helped draft an ordinance regulation responsible beverage sales and service and organized alcoholic beverage control training sessions at San Marcos City Hall.
California State Parks Department Director Ruth Coleman has resigned and Chief Deputy Director Michael Harris has been terminated under the allegation that the department sat on nearly $54 million during the past 12-years. Governor Jerry Brown accepted Ruth Coleman‘s resignation and appointed California Natural Resources Agency Undersecretary Janelle Beland as Acting Interim Director of the Department.