City Manager

Patricia McIntosh and her fellow La Puente residents have seen more than their fair share of city turmoil in recent years: Government officials accused of sexual harassment and excessive travel expenses. The threatened loss of municipal insurance. But when McIntosh got wind of a proposal to change the name of her beloved San Gabriel Valley city, the 82-year-old president of the La Puente Valley Historical Society had to speak out. "That's ludicrous," she said. "It'd be like coming in and saying we'd like to change the name of California.

Patricia McIntosh and her fellow La Puente residents have seen more than their fair share of city turmoil in recent years: Government officials accused of sexual harassment and excessive travel expenses. The threatened loss of municipal insurance. But when McIntosh got wind of a proposal to change the name of her beloved San Gabriel Valley city, the 82-year-old president of the La Puente Valley Historical Society had to speak out. "That's ludicrous," she said. "It'd be like coming in and saying we'd like to change the name of California.

The Compton City Council voted early Wednesday to fire its top administrator, the second time the panel has terminated its city manager in three years. The firing comes at a time when the mayor is under fire from some residents for missing council meetings. After a closed-door meeting that ended about 1:30 a.m., the council voted unanimously to fire Charles Evans. City Controller Willie Norfleet was appointed to take his place. Evans and Norfleet could not be reached for comment.

The top administrator in Huntington Park stepped down this week after city officials learned his employment appeared to violate state retirement rules. Interim City Manager Raul Romero was notified by CalPERS last Thursday that he had exceeded the number of hours retired employees may work while still collecting pension benefits. He resigned Monday. Romero said he had retired from the City of Commerce in 2002 and continued working through his consulting company, R&R Municipal Solutions, over the last decade.

We suburbanites have tremendous interest but little say on how things go with our Los Angeles city government. We suggest it may be time to at least consider a city manager form ofgovernment. We have an able but extremely large and provincially-concerned council. We havea most commanding and personable mayor who makes an impressive greeter and head of state. We very much need a 100%-honest and dedicated city manager to efficiently act in the best interest of our entire population , leaving our mayor free for good-will trips and public, ceremonial functions.

The city of Montebello, already facing the prospect that it may not be able to pay its bills by the end of this year, sank deeper into crisis Tuesday after the interim city manager abruptly resigned. Peter Cosentini sent council members a letter informing them that he was stepping down because he was "no longer comfortable with our progress toward a balanced budget. " He suggested that council members hire a city manager "more in tune with your approach to municipal finance. " The move comes two weeks after Cosentini, who had been employed by the city for less than a year, warned council members that they needed to take "immediate corrective action" or the city would not be able to make payroll or pay its bills by the end of the year.

A yearlong search for a city manager concluded last week as the City Council agreed to a contract with David Caretto, assistant city manager of Pico Rivera, for the $90,000-a-year job. Caretto, appointed during a closed session Thursday, will begin his duties Oct. 19. He will replace George Caswell, who has been interim city manager since Charles Martin retired after 23 years as city manager.

Residents can help select Pasadena's new city manager at a public meeting Wednesday, when suggestions will be taken regarding skills, experience and characteristics needed for the job. City Manager Donald McIntyre is retiring in July after 16 years in the position. His successor is expected to be chosen by June. The meeting, at 7 p.m. at Pasadena's Senior Center, 85 E. Holly St.

The City Council has appointed Mary Strenn as the new city manager. She was selected from more than 50 candidates and will begin her duties Sept. 28. Strenn has 20 years of city management experience, including eight years as the city administrator of San Fernando. She was assistant city manager in Bakersfield, Calif., and Peoria, Ill. Strenn received a bachelor's degree in urban planning and a master's degree in public administration from the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay.

Re the City of Santa Ana firefighters' job problems: I may not be as educated as the city manager but simple logic says it's better for the city to get rid of one city manager then to replace 200 firefighters. Mr. Bobb's reputation of punishing city employees while rewarding his friends has caught up with him. We don't need this type of management by harassment. BOB ROBERTS Santa Ana

In a tense meeting Wednesday that highlighted growing tensions over the shooting death of an unarmed black teenager, city commissioners here passed a vote of no confidence in the police chief, as protests spread north to New York City, where the slain youth's parents joined a march demanding the killer's arrest. The no-confidence measure passed 3 to 2 after more than an hour of debate. Though it was not binding, the outcome and the public groans and applause that punctuated the debate underscored the anger pulsing through the Orlando suburb nearly a month after 17-year-old Trayvon Martin's death on Feb. 26. Most of that anger is focused on the fact that the admitted shooter, 28-year-old George Zimmerman, who has been described as both Latino and white, has not been arrested.

In a tense meeting Wednesday that highlighted growing tensions over the shooting deat h of an unarmed black teenager, local officials in Sanford, Fla., passed a vote of no confidence in the police chief as protests spread north to New York City, where the slain youth's parents joined a Manhattan march demanding the killer's arrest. The no-confidence measure passed 3 to 2 after more than an hour of debate, and though it was not binding, the outcome and the public groans and applause that punctuated the debate underscored the anger pulsing through the Orlando suburb nearly a month after 17-year-old Trayvon Martin's death on Feb. 26. Most of that anger is focused on the fact that the confessed shooter, 28-year-old George Zimmerman, who has been described as both Latino and white, has not been arrested.

Oxnard City Manager Ed Sotelo, long at odds with the city's mayor, was placed on paid leave Tuesday, after the ninth City Council meeting to discuss his tenure. The action, during a closed-door session, came as Ventura County prosecutors continue a lengthy investigation into the city's finances. City Atty. Alan Holmberg said Tuesday that Sotelo's leave is unrelated to the Ventura County district attorney's investigation. The probe, which started in August 2010 with local and federal investigators searching City Hall and the homes of top city officials, initially focused on a $250-million water project but has since broadened.

The Compton mayor's allegations of fraud at City Hall have at least temporarily killed the cash-strapped city's ability to get a line of credit to pay bills and prompted the resignation this week of the interim city manager. The city, which owes millions of dollars to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, among other debts, had been trying to get a line of credit to help deal with a $41-million deficit. Mayor Eric Perrodin had sent a letter to State Controller John Chiang in December, asking him to do a forensic audit of the city and suggesting that the general fund deficit was caused by "possible fraud, waste and abuse.

While working as the town's top administrator, Cudahy's then-city manager also served as a director of a private utility that sold water to the small Los Angeles County city, boosting his income by as much as $23,580 a year and raising conflict-of-interest questions. In the dual roles, George Perez was both seller and buyer — setting rates for the water that was sold to the city, and then advising the city on buying the water. Perez was fired from his more than $200,000-a-year job as city manager in March with little explanation, but he remains president of Tract 180 Water Co. Cudahy's former city attorney, who was terminated along with Perez, serves as the water company's lawyer.

Amid financial turmoil and changing political tides, the Compton City Council has voted to fire its third city manager in five years. The council voted 3 to 2 late Tuesday to terminate City Manager Willie Norfleet, effective immediately. Norfleet had worked for the city for about four years and served as city controller until his predecessor, Charles Evans, was fired last fall. Norfleet came under fire over revelations in the spring that the city was running a $25-million deficit in its general fund and over his handling of deep budget cuts and mass layoffs intended to get the city's finances stabilized.

Mayor Mary Louise Bunker announced Monday that Terry James, assistant city manager for public works, will fill in on an interim basis for current City Manager Kevin Murphy, who begins a new job next month in Newport Beach. Bunker said that the city plans to hire a search firm "to find the most qualified, best person" to run the city government. The decision to look outside the city drew criticism from Gloria Georgino, a resident who regularly scrutinizes the city government.

During City Council meetings, the insults fly. City Hall has been a revolving door as administrators depart, often not on good terms. Sexual harassment claims have been filed; council members all but stage coups to serve as mayor. But La Puente hit a new low this summer when the economically pressed town of 40,000 was warned that it has until the end of next year to clean up its act or risk losing its insurance, without which it cannot operate. The only other California city to face a similar fate is Maywood, which ended up laying off virtually all its employees and disbanding its Police Department.

Bell's already uncertain future has taken another sharp turn as its interim city administrator left office without a replacement and its freshman mayor took charge of day-to-day affairs Monday. The city decided to part ways with Pedro Carrillo as he proposed a tough new set of budget cuts aimed at holding off insolvency, including leaving executive positions unfilled, eliminating the three highest-ranking police officers in the city and requiring employees to pay for half of their retirement.