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:
The lawsuit settlement reached by former City Manager Geoff Dolan and the City of Manhattan Beach has Geoff paying the City $38,800 for attorney fees, in addition to agreeing to dismiss his appeal of the City’s successful Anti-SLAPP motion, in which the Court awarded the City $45,000 in attorney fees. The City has not been required to pay the former City Manager any money in regards to the settled legal action.
In December, 2012, Mary Ortiz Bradley accepted the appointment to serve as the new Lakewood Human Resources Manager. She replaces the retired longtime Lakewood HR Manager Pamela Hyland. Mary previously worked as the HR Manager in Bell Gardens, and prior to that she was the Employment Services Supervisor in Culver City. She also previously served as a Recruitment Supervisor for the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles. Mary earned a BS and MBA from Pepperdine University.
Fountain Valley retired City Manager Ray Kromer, 60, has continued to serve the city in an Interim capacity during the recruitment period for his replacement. Ray and his wife plan a two-month road trip visiting national parks across the country once his work in Fountain Valley has concluded.
Retired Vista City Manager and Past President of CCMF Rita Geldert is the new CCMF Executive Director, taking over for Bill Garrett.
Signal Hill, where Ken Farfsing serves as City Manager, opened a new police station last month. The Signal Hill Police Department celebrated with an official grand opening of the new station and Emergency Operations Center. Signal Hill Police Chief Michael Langston was joined by many dignitaries at the event, including Long Beach Chief of Police Jim McDonnell.
Manhattan Beach City Manager David Carmany shared a picture on Facebook that shows a local roadside electronic message board that got a good-natured reprogramming giving drivers the message: “Stay classy MB.” The message board’s control panel had been left unlocked. It also said: “YOLO,” and warned “zombies ahead” and “It’s raining men.”
Retired Burlingame City Manager Jim Nantell appeared at a special farewell gathering for him in a Nun’s habit. Jim poked fun at himself as well as some of those in attendance in a good-natured roast. He retired officially on December 31, 2011, but has continued to serve the city in an interim capacity through 2012.
Marina has not had a permanent City Manager since City Manager Tony Altfeld left office last March. Bob Murray & Associates is assisting the City with their Executive Recruitment. Interviews for a new City Manager are currently being conducted.
La Mirada Public Works Director Steve Forster was placed on Administrative Leave while an internal investigation is conducted regarding allegations that he allegedly acted inappropriately with a female employee during a long-time relationship. Steve joined the La Mirada staff 23-year ago. Deputy City Manager Jeff Boynton will serve as the Department Head and work with Public Works Manager Gary Sanui in Steve’s absence. Tom Robinson is the La Mirada City Manager.
According to Sacramento Bee columnist Dan Walters in his January 20, 2013 piece, the tendency among California local officials is to make financial commitments with little thought to long-term consequences. He shames the folks in Vallejo, Stockton and San Bernardino, but fails to take note of all the money the State has taken from local governments over a good many years, with the latest “taking” the closing of Community Redevelopment Agencies.
Nine years ago, Compton Mayor Omar Bradley was convicted of corruption and sentenced to three-years in prison. The California Supreme Court overturned that decision six months ago and now the former Mayor is a candidate for his old job.
Merced is conducting “Town Hall” style meetings at their local middle schools. Merced Public Information Officer Mike Conway indicates that the city is trying to make it easy for people to address their interests with venues that promote easy access and are less intimidating in less formal and familiar settings. Veteran City Manager John M. Bramble is the Merced City Manager.
Former Hanford City Manager Hilary Straus is the Assistant City Manager in South Pasadena since last September working with City Manager Sergio Gonzalez. Hilary is a Past-Chair of Cal-ICMA and Past President of MMANC. Hilary earned a BA from the University of California and an MPA from USC.
Menifee Council Members John Denver and Wallace Edgerton have been tasked to find the City’s next City Manager. Rob Johnson, a former Senior Manager with the City, has been serving as Interim City Manager since the resignation of City Manager Bill Rawlings. Council Member Wallace Edgerton is a former member of the City Council in Long Beach.
Ukiah City Manager Jane Chambers has been unanimously granted a two-year employment agreement extension. Negotiations are ongoing in Ukiah regarding the development of a gross compensation reduction plan. Jane’s current 5-year employment agreement was to have expired in May.
San Luis Obispo City Council Member Andrew Carter has been appointed City Administrator in Guadalupe. Andrew is resigning from the San Luis Obispo City Council to accept the full time City Administrator post in Guadalupe. Guadalupe is located in Santa Barbara County, on the Central California coast near the famous Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes. Andrew was born in Austin, Texas and grew up in The Plains, Virginia. He graduated from Princeton University with a BA in Politics. He moved to San Luis Obispo in 1996 and worked in the private sector, and was elected to the City Council in 2006.
Atherton City Manager George Rodericks completed basic training with the U.S. Army in 1984. Other Army training he completed include: a Master Fitness Trainer Course; Army Airborne School; and the Army Infantry Officer’s Basic Course. George served in the U.S. Army Reserve until 1997, leaving the service as a 1st Lieutenant. George earned a BA in Municipal Management from the University of Central Oklahoma; an MPA from California State University, Long Beach, and a J.D. law degree from Concord Law School, Kaplan University.
Santa Ana City Manager Paul Walters, who had been the City’s Chief of Police before he was appointed City Manager, has been relieved of duty. The dismissal came seven months after Paul was appointed to the job on a permanent basis. He served as Interim City Manager prior to that.
South Gate City Manager Michael Flad comes to his current post from the Burbank City Manager position. He is a past Ukiah Assistant City Manager. Mike earned a BS from UCLA and an MPA from California State University, Northridge. He took over the City Manager post from retired City Manager George Troxcil, a former Chief of Police. Bryan Cook is the South Gate Director of Finance and Assistant City Manager.
Campbell City Manager Amy Brown is resigning from her position to accept the job of Director of Agriculture and Environmental Management with the County of Santa Clara. Amy was appointed Campbell City Manager in December, 2011 after serving a dozen years with the San Francisco city staff as Deputy City Attorney, Director of Real Estate and Acting City Administrator. She is expected to remain in Campbell through late February.
Huntington Beach Deputy Fire Marshall Jeff Lopez earned an MPA from the University of Southern California (USC).
In the 1977-1978 ICMA Directory of Members, Dennis Courtemarche is listed as the Seal Beach City Manager. He listed an AA degree from Long Beach City College and a BS from California State University, Long Beach. He was appointed Seal Beach City Manager in November, 1971. Dennis retired as the City Manager in Pico Rivera.
Burbank Deputy City Manager Joy Forbes, who spent 13-years in Community Development, has been appointed to the Burbank Community Development Director position. Joy is replacing Director Greg Herrmann, who retired at the end of 2012. Burbank Interim City Manager Ken Pulskamp will be looking for an internal replacement for the Deputy City Manager post.
Porterville native John Longley, 65, served as the Porterville City Manager from 2002 to 2009 when he retired. John served more than 32-years as City Manager in the California cities of Marina, Avalon, Farmersville, Greenfield and Porterville. John is currently the Airport Director at the Klamath Falls Airport in Oregon.
Paul Cayler was appointed to the Willits City Manager post in 2008 and leaves the city in January, 2013. Willits City Clerk and Human Resources Director Adrienne Moore has been appointed Interim City Manager to serve in transition during the executive recruitment, which is estimated to take six months. Adrienne joined the Willits city staff in 2009 to replace the retired City Clerk Marylyn Harden.
Signal Hill City Manager Kenneth C. Farfsing was a guest speaker at a recent Signal Hill Chamber of Commerce Monthly Membership Luncheon meeting. Ken has been the Signal Hill City Manager since 1996. He previously served as City Manager in South Pasadena, and Assistant City Manager in Downey. He also held positions in La Verne and Santa Fe Springs.
Congressman Paul Cook (CA08), who is a retired Colonel with 26-years in the US Marine Corps, and a former Council Member in Yucca Valley, has been selected to serve on the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee, and the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee. Congressman Cook currently serves on the House Armed Services, Foreign Affairs, and Veterans’ Affairs Committees.