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:
Former Port Hueneme City Manager Dave Norman has been appointed Director of Community Development in Camarillo. He will be working with Camarillo City Manager Bruce Feng.
William T. Panos has been appointed City Manager in Eureka to replace the retired City Manager David W. Tyson. Bill is a former Director of Public Works for the City of West Sacramento. Among other past positions he served as an Advisor to the President’s Council on Sustainable Development under the Clinton Administration. He is scheduled to start in Eureka January 1, 2013.
Wildomar City Manager Frank Oviedo has resigned to accept the Santa Clarita Assistant City Manager position. Assistant City Manager Gary Nordquist will replace Frank as Wildomar’s City Manager. Frank will work with new Santa Clarita City Manager Ken Striplin, who has taken the reigns from retire City Manager Ken Pulskamp, who has taken the assignment as Interim City Manager in Burbank. The new ACM, Frank worked for Santa Clarita from 1997 until 2002.
Costa Mesa’s Peter Naghavi retired after 22-years, but at the request of CEO Tom Hatch he will continue on the job and help recruit his replacement. Peter was the Deputy Chief Executive Officer/Director of Economic Development, and former Director of Public Works in Costa Mesa. Retired Costa Mesa Public Services Director Bill Morris (1989-2007) gave us the “heads-up” on Peter’s retirement. Thank you Bill!
It is official! Alhambra City Manager Julio Fuentes, 56, is the new Santa Clara City Manager. Julio has a 30-year city management history. It is reported that the Santa Clara staff recommended his appointment to replace the retired City Manager Jennifer Sparacino, who served in the position from 1987. Congratulations to Julio!
ICMA West Coast Regional Director Kevin C. Duggan and his wife became first time grandparents when their daughter gave birth on Saturday, November 24, 2012 just in time for the Holiday Season. Trackdown congratulations to the entire family!
Sincere Trackdown condolences to retired City Manager Fran Delach who’s mother recently passed away. Fran is with Kelly Associates Management Group, currently serving on an interim assignment with the San Gabriel Valley COG.
Atascadero Assistant City Manager Jim Lewis has been selected to be the next Pismo Beach City Manager when City Manager Kevin Rice retires on February 28, 2013. Jim is a Past President of MMASC, and has been active in City Manager circles with ICMA and other California groups. Prior to joining City Manager Wade McKinney in Atascadero, Jim served on the Claremont City Manager’s staff. He earned a BA from the University of Southern California (USC), and an MPA from Syracuse University. He has been active with USC alumni activities.
Laura Biery of the Santa Clarita city staff, who we reported was on her way to join the Manhattan Beach staff, has graciously accepted our apologies for our error of “jumping the gun.” Laura, who is a past President of MMASC, is an important member of the Santa Clarita staff and is not going anywhere at this time. We apologize for our error.
La Mirada City Manager Tom Robinson, 62, has announced plans to retire effective December 28th. He is expected to work part-time as an Interim City Manager until a replacement is found. Tom worked in Commerce and Cerritos before joining the La Mirada staff as the Community Resources Director in 1985. He was appointed City Manager in 2008.
Killed in the line of duty 25-years ago, the father of Kristie Taylor Ramos, Desert Hot Springs Deputy City Clerk and Executive Assistant to City Manager Rick Daniels, will be honored when the Date Palm Interstate 10 overpass in Cathedral City is renamed in his memory. CHP Officer Mark Thomas Taylor was killed in a 1987 traffic collision west of the bridge.
Coronado Assistant City Manager E. Thomas Ritter, who received a 25-year ICMA Service Award this year, began his career in 1984 as an Administrative Intern in Manhattan Beach. After working in Long Beach from 1987 until 1991, he moved to the San Diego County Cities of Solana Beach, Carlsbad, Imperial Beach and currently Coronado. Tom earned an AA at Imperial Valley College, a BA from the University of Southern California (USC), and an MBA from California State University, Long Beach.
Mark Orme has served as Hemet Interim City Manager since August. Mark joined the Hemet staff some 13-years ago, and was Assistant City Manager prior to the “interim” appointment.
Novato approved a $675,000 settlement of a lawsuit brought when a drunk riding a motorcycle hit a 9-year old girl and her father in a crosswalk, killing the girl and causing the amputation of the father’s leg. The motorcycle rider was killed by another San Quentin State Prison inmate within weeks of beginning his sentence. Though the city feels the motorcycle rider is to blame for the accident, the settlement was reached to save additional legal costs. Novato does not admit any wrongdoing. Michael Frank is the Novato City Manager.
Linda Pappas Diaz, who has held positions in Costa Mesa, Cerritos, Buena Park, Town of Colma, Antioch, Thousand Oaks, and American Canyon and Fillmore on a consultant basis, and Fillmore, is now a Retirement Benefits Specialist with the Ventura County Employees Retirement Association.
Retired City Manager Richard Ramirez is a Principal at Interim Public Management Services.
Former San Mateo County Supervisor Michael D. Nevin died of esophageal cancer on Saturday, December 1, 2012. He was 69-years old. Mike, who had served on the City Council in Daly City, was a former San Francisco Police Inspector and served 27-years with the SFPD. At the time of his death, Mike was the Executive Director of the Service League in San Mateo County, helping ex-offenders and substance abusers find housing and employment.
1990 California State University, Long Beach graduate Robert E. Knapp was recently appointed Director of the Costa Mesa Parks and Recreation Division. He was previously active in Costa Mesa community sports and he owned the local Costa Mesa business Rainbow Magnetics.
Since Oakdale City Manager Steve Hallam was dismissed in April, 2011, Oakdale has relied on Interim City Managers Stan Feathers, Greg Wellman and Dee Tatum. It appears that the city is close to appointing a new City Manager soon.
Temecula City Manager Bob Johnson has been dismissed on a 3-0 vote, with two Council Members absent. He has been on paid administrative leave since November 13. Temecula Community Services Director Aaron Adams has been named Acting City Manager. Chief Financial Officer Genie Wilson remains on paid administrative leave. The Temecula City Attorney is Peter Thorson.
San Clemente City Manager George Scarborough will retire next March 20, after 35-years in municipal government. He’s been San Clemente City Manager since 2003. George served as the Dana Point City Manager prior to joining the San Clemente staff. The City’s elected City Treasurer Pall Gudgeirsson, who also serves as Assistant City Manager, may be considered to replace George.
Former Redding Assistant to the City Manager Nathan Cherpeski, who served as Alamosa, Colorado City Manager is a finalist for the City Manager post in Klamath Falls, Oregon.
Retired Palo Alto Finance Director Carl Yeats, who is a former Baldwin Park City Manager, has been appointed Interim Finance Director/Treasurer in Burlingame following the resignation of Finance Director Jesus Nava, who has accepted a position with the Santa Clara Valley Water District. Carl earned his BS from California State University, Los Angeles.
Mindy Jacobs, the Manager of Business Support Services at IntelliBridge Partners, continues to recruit talented professionals in accounting, finance, information technology and human resources.
Darrell Johnson, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Orange County Transportation Authority, will become the Chief Executive of the Authority in March, 2013 when current Chief Executive Will Kempton leaves office.
Kern County official fear that groundwater will be contaminated and that metals and pharmaceuticals will leach into the soil from the spreading of biosolids for recycling. Portland State University Engineer Gwynn Johnson contends that research shows that biosolids contain metals, antibiotics and flame retardants, and that more study is needed to determine the implications for human health and the environment. Greg Kester, the biosolids program manager for the California Association of Sanitation Agencies, says that biosolids enrich the soil in Kern County.
Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens is undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer and will schedule back on her public appearance while undergoing treatment, though she will remain on the job. She revealed the recent diagnosis at a press conference on November 26. Sheriff Hutchens is a former Chief on the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department staff.
San Marcos Finance Director Steve Parker has been promoted to Assistant City Manager, and will continue to serve as the Director of Finance. Collette Jamison is also an Assistant City Manager in City Manager Jim Nuse‘s organization. She has held a position San Marcos Assistant City Manager post since 2007.
Covina City Manager Daryl Parrish has agreed to pay his full employee share of his retirement benefit to CalPERS. Currently Members of the Covina Police Officers’ Association pay none of the employee’s share of their CalPERS contributions.
Carlsbad Assistant City Manager John Coates has been appointed Acting City Manager when Finance Director turned City Manager Lisa Hildabrand, 56, resigned and he will serve in that capacity until a successor is found. Lisa left the city during her performance evaluation in late October and has not returned. She joined the Carlsbad staff in 1991 and was appointed City Manager in 2008.
Former El Cerrito City Manager Gary Pokorny has agreed to head up a fundraising effort to build a new El Cerrito Library. Gary served as the El Cerrito City Manager between 1989 and 2000.
Murrieta voters approved a city employee salary cap initiative two years ago. Those spearheading that effort contend that Murrieta City Manager Rick Dudley has been given a contract renewal which takes his salary beyond that cap. The Mayor has said that Rick’s salary is regarded as “grandfathered in” and does not need to comply with the initiative.
Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson has named Daniel Conway to serve as his new Chief of Staff replacing former Chief of Staff Kunal Merchant, who left the post in June and was named Executive Director of the Mayor’s “Think BIG” arena task force. The new Chief of Staff most recently served as the Legislative and Public Affairs Director for the California Restaurant Association.
Blocksburg is an unincorporated community in Humboldt County southeasterly of Weott. The Blocksburgh post office opened in 1877. The name was changed to Blocksburg in 1893 after Benjamin Blocksburg, a local merchant. The original name was Powellville in honor of the area’s first settler; Joseph James Powell.