|
||||
|
|
||||
|
|
Who will be the New City Mgr. of Newport Bch? By columnist Barbara Venezia “Job Opening: Newport Beach City Manager. Must like great weather, manage crazy people politely, and angry people respectfully. Expect your every decision to be dissected publicly, be on call 24/7, and regularly harpooned by the press. Should be good with; numbers, smiling for photo ops, and comfortable with a city council sometimes suffering from multiple personality disorder. Interested parties apply by June 1.” This probably won’t be the ad they’ll run for Newport Beach City Manager since Homer Bludau announced his retirement, but it’s not far from the truth. Being NB City Mgr. is a tough balancing act with not a lot of kudos. I’ve know Homer since 2000 when Santa Ana Hts. was entering the annexation process. In my years as Chairman of the Santa Ana Hts. Redevelopment Agency Project Advisory Committee, he’s been a great ally and a formidable adversary. Though we’ve been on opposite sides of some issues, it never got personal and we’ve always maintained honesty and respect with each other. After 10 years in this position, Homer’s ready to relax and enjoy the city from a whole new perspective, as a resident. When we talked, I sensed relief mixed with excitement in his voice. He’s looking forward to traveling and spending more time with his wife, but retirement will require some adjustments. “It’s the people I work with that I’ll miss most” he said. 10 years ago Homer beat out over 120 other qualified candidates. This time there could be hundreds more applying. In June a recruitment firm, hired by the city, will post a job description nation wide for 30-45 days. Candidates will be screened by the firm and the cream of the crop will face interviews by the city council. We could have a new city manager by August. But is hiring an “outsider” verses an “insider” really best? Some say it brings “fresh eyes’ to the situation, while others feel promoting from within is best because you have history with the individual. Hiring someone who’s familiar with the personalities and idiosyncrasies of our city’s neighborhoods makes most sense. I see Assistant City Manager Dave Kiff as the heir apparent. I’ve worked with him and volunteered with him. The guy has strong convictions. His diligence and grueling background work on the rehab proliferation issue was commendable as was his work in Santa Ana Hts. He took heat for some of his support of Santa Ana Hts, but he never “threw us under the bus” as some did, (and you know who you are- if you’re wondering if I’m talking about you- then you’re probably right!) . But does Dave want the job? He told me he’s planning to submit an application and keep an open mind. There’s a residency requirement, and he welcomes the opportunity to move to Newport. Dave’s been assistant city mgr. 11 years, works well with neighborhood associations. He’s smart, diplomatic, and charismatic…. This should be a no brainer…but we are talking NB…where sometimes reality reverses reason. |
|
||