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:
La Mirada Deputy City Manager Jeff Boynton, 34, has been selected to succeed retired La Mirada City Manager Tom Robinson effective September 16. Jeff joined the La Mirada city staff in 2001 as an Administrative Aide in Public Safety. He became Assistant to the City Manager in 2009 and was named Deputy City Manager in August, 2012. Jeff earned a BA and MBA from California State University, Fullerton.
South Lake Tahoe City Manager Nancy Kerry has announced the appointment of Raymond Jarvis as the South Lake Tahoe Director of Public Works and Mary Norris as the Administrative Services Director. Both have August 12 as their start date. Ray has been serving as the Public Works and Transportation Director in the Town of Mammoth Lakes since 2004. He previously served as an Assistant Public Works Director in Fresno. For the past 10-years Mary has served as the Finance and Administrative Services Manager/Chief Financial Officer for the San Juan Water District in Granite Bay.
Roger L. Haley has served as the Lynwood City Manager since August, 2007. Prior to joining the Lynwood staff he worked in the Long Beach City Manager’s office, and with the Public Affairs Office of the Compton Police Department. He also served as a Regional Manager for the Southern California Edison Company. Roger earned a BA from USC and a Master’s degree from California State University, Long Beach. Roger is known to enjoy a good game of golf. Roger has developed a reputation as a truly professional City Manager. Roger has decided to retire from his position in Lynwood.
Rick Cole, 60, former Ventura and Azusa City Manager, and a former Mayor of Pasadena, has been appointed by new Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to serve as his Deputy Mayor for Budget and Innovation.
Two of the three finalist for the Kingman, Arizona City Manager post are from California. Rick Howard, 53, is currently the General Manager of Discovery Bay, a private waterfront community in Contra Costa County, and former Twentynine Palms City Manager Richard Warne are being considered for the Kingman position. Rick previously worked for San Diego County and the Cities of Mission Viejo and Poway.
Former Simi Valley City Manager Laura Behjan has been appointed to a part-time Executive Director position with the Ventura Council of Governments. She succeeds Darren Kettle. The Council is a joint powers authority composed of the ten Ventura County cities and county. It has a housing and land-use planning focus.
Courtney Barrett is the Human Resources Manager for the City of Encinitas. She replaced Tom Beckord, who retired after working for the City for 18-years. Courtney joined Encinitas after having served as the Human Resources Manager for the City of Coronado since 2011. Previous to her Coronado service, Courtney was a Labor Relations Officer and a Senior Human Resources Officer for the County of San Diego. With her moved to Encinitas, Courtney says that she plans to resurrect her longboard. Courtney has earned a BA and MBA.
Aliso Viejo City Manager Mark Pulone has be appointed to serve as the new Yorba Linda City Manager. Mark has been the Aliso Viejo City Manager since November, 2005. Mark began his public service career as a Life Guard and then an Administrative Intern in Santa Fe Springs. He then worked in Lake Forest in a number of executive capacities, leaving there as the Assistant City Manager when he joined the Aliso Viejo staff.
Sunnyvale Assistant Director of Finance Drew Corbett has been selected to serve as the next Finance Director in Menlo Park. The Menlo Park City Manager is Alex McIntyre.
Retired La Mirada City Manager Gary Sloan is having some “non-cancer-related” surgery in Palm Springs. He is hoping for a quick recovery so he can get back to his new home in Corona.
California City Management Foundation Executive Director Rita Geldert, a retired Vista City Manager, explains that generous compensation for city managers is warranted in recognition of their duties and responsibilities. City Managers oversee hundreds of public employees and multimillion dollar budgets. There appears to be a Statewide trend to revisit City Manager compensation as agencies become confident that the Great Recession and the decreases in local government revenues that came with it have ended.
Goleta, where Dan Singer serves as City Manager, has announced that Michelle Greene has been promoted to Deputy City Manager. Michelle has been serving as the Goleta Administrative Services Director since 2006. Prior to that she was a Management Analyst beginning in 2004.
Leon Compton has retired at City Administrator of Ripon. The Ripon Municipal Code has now been amended to require that the Ripon City Administrator must live within the area served by the Ripon Unified School District at least six months after accepting the appointment. Leon, who worked for the city for 27-years, lived in rural Stanislaus County. Kevin Werner, the Deputy City Administrator/City Engineer under Leon, is the new Ripon City Administrator.
El Monte Director of Finance Craig Koehler has be selected to serve as the new Director of Finance in the City of Redondo Beach where Bill Workman has served as City Manager since 2005. Former Redondo Beach Director of Finance Diana Moreno has retired. Craig is a resident of Seal Beach. He earned a BS in Accounting from California State University, Long Beach.
La Palma City Manager Ellen W. Volmert served as the Assistant City Manager in Corvallis, Oregon between 1994 and 2012. She received a 30-year ICMA Service Award in 2009.
Marcie Edwards is the new Anaheim City Manager. Marcie first took the position on an interim basis and did not plan to apply. However, the City Council has decided she will be the next Anaheim City Manager. She had previously served as the City’s Utility General Manager, a job she held since 2001. Marcie follows City Manager Bob Wingenroth, who has taken a municipal post in Arizona. Prior to joining the Anaheim staff, Marcie spent nearly 25-years working for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.
Rachelle Rickard has been officially sworn in as the next Atascadero City Manager replacing long-time City Manager Wade McKinney. Wade, the President of the California City Management Foundation (CCMF), resigned the Atascadero post to accept the appointment to serve as the Indian Wells City Manager.
John Gillison is the City Manager of Rancho Cucamonga. He took over from veteran City Manager Jack Lam, upon his retirement. John served as the Assistant City Manager in Rancho Cucamonga. Prior to that he had assignments in Pomona, Sierra Madre, Cerritos and Walnut. John served as the Sierra Madre City Manager. John earned a Juris Doctorate from Western State University College of Law, and he is a Licensed Attorney.
Former Glendora Deputy City Manager Brenda Fischer, who has been serving as the City Manager in Maricopa, Arizona, has been appointed City Manager in Glendale, Arizona.
Former Santa Cruz Mayor and Council Member Ryan Coonerty graduated from the Honors College at the University of Oregon.
August 23 – 25, 2013 are the dates of the Manhattan Beach Open – Beach Volleyball Tournament. It is the 53rd year for the granddaddy of all beach volleyball tournaments. This year it has been added as the second stop of the 2013 AVP tour drawing the most celebrated beach volleyball players in the world, including: Kerri Walsh-Jennings, Sean Rosenthal, Jake Gibb, April Ross and more. Come to the Manhattan Beach Pier at Manhattan Avenue and 10th Street in Manhattan Beach. David Carmany serves as the Manhattan Beach City Manager.
Anne Samuelson Williams is the Vice President of Legislative and Legal Affairs for the Central City Association of Los Angeles. Anne earned a JD and MBA from the University of Southern California (USC), and a BA from Claremont McKenna College. She serves on the Executive Committee of the Claremont McKenna College Alumni Association Board of Directors. Anne and her family live in Hermosa Beach where the City Manager is Tom Bakaly, 48, formerly of Park City, Utah.
In the “San Jose City Managers” issue, it was mentioned that former City Manager Anthony P. “Dutch” Hamann and his wife died in the Tenerife 747 airliner collision in the Canary Islands. Past ICMA President Roy Pederson tells us that he knew Dutch, who was an old friend of former La Mirada City Manager Chappy Bone. He said that a brother of a Montebello Police Lieutenant and the former Chamber of Commerce Director in La Mirada were also killed in that disaster. We join Roy’s note: “Glad I missed that trip.”
Former Piper Jaffray executive Melanie Corona is currently a Marketing Manager for Management Partners in San Jose, and a coordinator for the Gilroy Downtown Business Association. Melanie earned a BA and an MA in English Language and Literature from Sonoma State University. Melanie was an athlete in high school and college. She play both basketball and volleyball. She played two-years of basketball for Sonoma State University Coach Mark Rigby.
Margaret A. Curran was the Assistant City Manager in Beverly Hills prior to being appointed Town Manager in Telluride, Colorado in 1994 where she served until 2002. Peggy was selected to serve as the Tiburon Town Manager in 2006.
Retired Pomona City Manager Doug Dunlap and former Hawaiian Gardens City Administrator Ray Harris met in Los Alamitos with Interim City Manager Gregory Korduner during the first week of July. Ray retired as the Transportation Deputy to Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe. Greg reports that Doug and Ray are doing well. Ray continues to do volunteer work with the Richard Nixon Presidential Library & Museum in Yorba Linda. The three met at the Kampai Sushi House in Los Alamitos.
R. Matt Rodriguez is the City Manager of San Pablo, California. He succeeded veteran City Manager Brock Arner, who retired in 2010. Prior to joining the San Pablo staff, Matt served as the Assistant City Manager in Pittsburgh, California. He earned a BA, an MPA and an Master’s degree in Planning from the University of Southern California (USC).
San Fernando Interim City Administrator Don Penman reports that the San Fernando City Council recently approved the establishment of a City Manager system. It is anticipated that this will help with their current recruitment for a new chief administrator. The City has retained Bob Murray & Associates to assist them find a new City Manager.
Former Chief of Police and City Manager J. Mitchell Waller was killed in a traffic accident while riding a bicycle with another Westminster city employee in the vicinity of Highway 133 and Highway 73. They were struck by a motorist. The Chief was pronounced dead at the scene and the other cyclist, though in the hospital with serious injuries, is expected to make a recovery. Chief Waller began his career with the Westminster Police Department in April, 1984. He worked as a motor officer, detective and Adjutant to the Chief of Police. He promoted to sergeant in 1991, Lieutenant in 1995, and Captain in 2002. He was appointed to serve as the 10th Westminster Chief of Police in January, 2010. He was named City Manager in 2011 and retired from that post in 2012. He was an avid cyclist.
Terry Amsler was hit by a bus in Europe about four-months ago. Terry is the Director of Public Engagement with the Institute for Local Government. He is recuperating from surgery at his home in Woodland. Trackdown joins Terry’s many friends in wishing him the very best during his recovery.
An antitrust lawsuit filed by San Jose against Major League Baseball accuses the MLB of a conspiracy to deprive San Jose of the ability to secure a major league team. Major League Baseball has been considering how to handle the Oakland A’s interest in moving to San Jose in view of the San Francisco Giants’ claim of territorial rights to the South Bay. The case has been assigned to U. S. District Judge Ronald Whyte, 70, a 1992 appointee of former President George H.W. Bush. Before joining the federal bench, Ronald Whyte was a Santa Clara Superior Court Judge, appointed by former Governor George Deukmejian.
Kevin Murphy, the late PARS executive, resigned from the Newport Beach City Manager post in 1992 when he was 44-years old. Previous to that assignment Kevin had served as the Alhambra City Manager. He was a native of Anaheim and a UCLA graduate.
Bellflower Mayor Ray Dunton is the immediate Past President of the Board of Directors to the Gateway Cities Council of Governments. The current President is Paramount’s Mayor Gene Daniels. Ray is a native of Bangor, Maine. Gene is in his fourth term as the Mayor of Paramount.
BART union rail workers went on strike, but California Secretary of Labor Marty Morgenstern announced that the two striking unions have agreed to return to work on July 5 as negotiations continue. BART is the Nation’s 5th largest rail system carrying about 400,000 commuters each weekday. Workers in the two striking unions average about $71,000 in base salary and $11,000 in overtime annually. The Unions, which represent nearly 2,400 train operators, station agents, mechanics, maintenance works and professional staff, wants a 5% raise each year for the next 3-years. BART has offered 8% over the next 4-years and a reduction in the amount employees contribute to pension and medical benefits.
Folsom City Manager Evert Palmer previously served as the Folsom Assistant City Manager, Director of Administrative Services, and Assistant Director of Finance/Information Technology Manager. He joined the Folsom staff in 1996. Evert is an ICMA Credentialed Manager. He earned a BA from Chapman University and an MPA from Golden Gate University.
It has been announced by the Silverado ownership group, including World Golf Hall of Fame member Johnny Miller, that Napa’s Silverado Country Club will host the PGA Frys.com Open golf tournament October 6-12, 2014. That is in former CCMF Board Members Mark Curran and Dr. Bill Mathis‘ neck of the woods. CCMF Board Member Mike Parness is the Napa City Manager. The Frys.com Open will be the opening event of the 2014-2015 PGA Tour Season.
Jerry Yudelson, a 1993 MBA graduate of the Lindquist College of Business at the University of Oregon worked with California Governor Jerry Brown with solar power development. The Original Earth Day in the 1970s got Jerry Yudelson’s interest in solar and wind energy development.