City Managers

Some cities have decided the best way to use their federal stimulus funds is to barter with other municipalities, prompting a warning Tuesday that some of these transactions are prohibited. At least three Southland cities are proposing to swap their anticipated share of federal money earmarked for highway improvements for funds that they could use as they see fit.

They have no money, no name recognition and no political experience. But that didn't stop Daniel Cota, an elementary school teacher, and Luis Garcia, a former city maintenance supervisor, from recently filing to run for the Cudahy City Council. That's news in this tiny Latino working-class suburb southeast of Los Angeles because there hasn't been a contested election here since 1999. "A lot of people want change," said Cota, who once worked on a city street crew.

A city manager under investigation for allegedly altering documents has reached an agreement with Westminster officials prohibiting her from entering City Hall but allowing her to work from home until she retires in November. Mary Evangeline Schock, 54, of Yorba Linda, who had been city manager for nearly two years, was placed on administrative leave in April during a 30-day internal investigation.

The City Council on Monday named Michael J. Beck city manager after a seven-month search process, city officials said. Beck is now the assistant city manager in Riverside, where he oversaw a $1-billion operating budget. Pasadena received 62 applications for the position, which was held by Cynthia Kurtz for 10 years before she retired in January, officials said. Some residents, who protested Beck's appointment because he was reputed to prioritize development over preservation, criticized the city for soliciting too little input from the community in the selection process, said city spokeswoman Ann Erdman.

The Thousand Oaks City Council is asking the Ventura County district attorney to look into charges that Councilman Andy Fox broke a state law by trying to force the city manager to resign. At issue is whether the Brown Act, the state's open meeting law, was violated by the councilman who allegedly implied to City Manager Phil Gatch that there were enough votes to terminate his employment if he didn't leave voluntarily.

A divided Thousand Oaks City Council has accepted the resignation of City Manager Philip E. Gatch, a 38-year employee who has said he was forced out by a member of the council. The council's 3-2 vote Tuesday night came nearly four weeks after controversy surfaced about Gatch's March 31 resignation letter. He told the mayor and others that the resignation was coerced by Councilman Andy Fox. Fox and council members Dennis Gillette and Jacqui Irwin voted to accept Gatch's resignation.

Thousand Oaks interim City Manager Scott Mitnick, selected six months ago to fill in following the resignation of the former city manager, was this week given the city's top administrative job permanently. His promotion was approved on a 3-1 vote at the council's Tuesday night meeting, with Mayor Claudia Bill-de la Pena dissenting. Councilman Ed Masry, who has been hospitalized on and off since March, was absent. "I have been quite satisfied with the performance of Mr.

City Manager Lamont Ewell, who sought to provide stability and leadership during an unprecedented period of fiscal upheaval and political bickering at City Hall, announced his resignation Wednesday to become city manager in Santa Monica. Ewell, 52, a former Compton firefighter, was named to the post 19 months ago, after City Manager Michael Uberuaga was forced to resign amid complaints about his role in the city's pension debacle. Ewell was assistant city manager at the time.

How far will Wally Bobkiewicz go to put Santa Paula on the map? He recently won a campaign to have his small century-old city named the hometown of a fictional presidential candidate on television's "The West Wing." And a year ago, after the Los Angeles Times dropped the blue-collar community from the newspaper's weather page, he led pickets outside the paper's local office, ultimately pressuring the paper to reverse its decision.

The Thousand Oaks City Council has approved a new employment contract for Scott Mitnick, who was named city manager last month. The council voted unanimously Tuesday night to approve the open-ended contract, at an initial base salary of $195,135. Mitnick, 41, had served as interim city manager since May, when Philip Gatch stepped down.