Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Tag Archives: city manager

Poll: Does Santa Ana really need a new City Manager?

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, Gerardo Mouet, Michele Martinez, Paul Walters, Politics, Santa Ana 17 Comments

Maybe Michele Martinez needs a time machine so she can vote again for a new City Manager?

So this is what it has come down to.  The two or three defenders of the Santa Ana City Council majority are now pleading on the blogs, anonymously of course, for a new national search for a new City Manager even though we already have one and he was selected unanimously by the Council.  And they gave him a contract that pretty much backfires on them if they can him.

The reality folks is that the Council Majority is desperate to take complete power at City Hall and that is not going to happen as long as Paul Walters is at the helm.  Note that former Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez is gone now.  She was the one who kept these guys from breaking the law.  The good news is that now she can come after them as an Orange County Deputy District Attorney – and that is just what it might come down to. Continue reading→

It is time to Save our City Manager, Paul Walters!

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Michele Martinez, Paul Walters, Santa Ana 63 Comments

Save Paul Walers FB

You can now express your support for our great City Manager, Paul Walters, on a new blog and on a new Facebook page. And be sure to show up to the next Santa Ana City Council meeting, on Tuesday, Jan. 22, at 5 pm, to speak up for Walters.  Bring signs and tell your friends and neighbors.

Our ridiculous Santa Ana City Council majority continues to wage war on Walters, who saved our city from a horrible budget crisis last year.  Why isn’t the Council focusing on the problems our city faces?  Where are their good ideas?  These insane people would rather bring down one of Orange County’s best public administrators than work to improve Santa Ana. Continue reading→

Stand up for our City Manager at the Council meeting set for this Monday

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, David Benavides, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Paul Walters, Politics, Public Safety, Roman Reyna, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 52 Comments

Paul Walters, Behind the Badge

Supporters of Santa Ana City Manager Paul Walters are expected to turn out in large numbers at this Monday’s City Council meeting, on Jan. 7, 2013, at 5:45 pm, at the Council Chambers, at 22 Civic Center Plaza, in Santa Ana.

Walters has come under fire as the current Santa Ana City Council majority has decided to come after him even though he saved our city from a budget fiasco last year and is even now our best hope to resolve the State of California’s demand for the return of some $56 million dollars in redevelopment funds. Continue reading→

Exclusive – City Council to fire City Manager Paul Walters in January

Posted on by Posted in 2014 Elections, David Benavides, Labor, Miguel Pulido, Paul Walters, Politics, Public Safety, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 16 Comments

Paul Walters, Behind the Badge

EXCLUSIVE – The Santa Ana City Council met today in a last-minute closed-session to consider the fate of City Manager Paul Walters.  Don’t buy the B.S. that they were also reviewing the City Attorney’s performance.  She was tossed onto the agenda to make this look like less of a kangaroo court.

My sources tell me that a decision was made – the City Council will fire Walters at the second Council meeting in January, even though he has meant so much to this city over the years, building and managing a state-of-the-art prison that has turned a profit by leasing space to other police agencies; saving our city budget last year when things looked so bleak; and lowering crime throughout his tenure as our Chief of Police and City Manager, to levels not seen in our city in many, many years. Continue reading→

A new era for Santa Ana as Walters becomes the city’s top executive

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Paul Walters, Public Safety, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Community: UNANIMOUS VOTE BY SANTA ANA CITY COUNCIL MAKES PAUL M. WALTERS THE CITY’S TOP EXECUTIVE

SANTA ANA, CA (June 6, 2012) – At Monday night’s city council meeting, in an unanimous vote, the Santa Ana City Council appointed Paul M. Walters as the City Manager and Police Commissioner. City Manager Paul M. Walters will be responsible for the City’s daily operations, and in his role as Police Commissioner his duties will include acting as the City’s intermediary with regional, state and federal agencies and special law enforcement task forces. Continue reading→

Update: Walters hiring delayed until next Council meeting on June 2

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Miguel Pulido, Paul Walters, Politics, Public Safety, Santa Ana 11 Comments

UPDATED: Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido found four votes on the City Council last night, but as it turned out that was only so the City Attorney could review the contract that will be offered to acting City Manager Paul Walters, to make him the permanent City Manager.  The decision to give him that post will be done in closed session but the contract, per the city charter, will have to be voted on in a City Council meeting – and Pulido will need five votes to approve that contract.  That may not be easy as some on the Council want Walters to step down as Chief of the Santa Ana Police Department, and there is some debate as to whether or not Deputy Chief Carlos Rojas would become the interim Chief during a national search to replace Walters.

I reported earlier this weekend that Mayor Miguel Pulido and the rest of Santa Ana City Council had taken away the interim label from City Manager Paul Walters, and that he will also continue to serve as our Chief of Police.  However I received a call from a city hall insider later today that turned this story on its head.

As I now understand it, the City Council is split on this and some of the Council Member still want to engage in a national search for a new City Manager.  Apparently there are some forces at the SAPD that also want to move on with appointing a new Chief of Police, in Deputy Chief Carlos Rojas.  However that too has become a divisive matter as there are some at city hall who want to engage in a national search for a new Chief of Police and others who want Walters to continue to serve in that capacity.  Their argument is that the SAPD will lose a lot of clout if Walters is replaced as Chief of Police by Rojas.  Continue reading→

An update from Santa Ana City Manager Paul Walters

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Paul Walters, Santa Ana 2 Comments

UPDATE FROM CITY MANAGER

September, 2011

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY

  • Business Attraction – Potential Aerospace Manufacturing Company – Economic Development and Planning staff will be meeting with a potential new business looking to occupy over 300,000 sq ft on Dyer Road. The aerospace manufacturing company is currently evaluating other Orange County sites as well and staff will be marketing its Enterprise Zone and other valuable business incentives to attract this company to Santa Ana.  This could potentially bring over 300 new jobs to the City.
  • Recent Enterprise Zone Outreach Visits – The Santa Ana Enterprise Zone provides tax relief to companies involved with wide variety products and services.  For example, during the last weeks ED staff has met with the following companies to review the EZ program and help them lower their cost of doing business.  Continue reading→

Santa Ana seeks community assistance in City Manager search

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Santa Ana 3 Comments

Santa Ana city officials are looking to residents to help identify the most significant issues the city is facing and the type of person who would make the best city manager.

Community members are being questioned to offer feedback to the City Council about the qualities of a good city manager.

Those responding to the survey are asked to describe the most pressing issue the city is facing and the leadership traits they would want in a person who serves as the city’s top staff person. Additional comments may also be submitted.

The city has been conducting a city manager search since Dave Ream retired from the position in May of 2011.

Here’s the survey:

In English.

En Español.

Paul Walters to become interim Santa Ana City Manager

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Santa Ana 3 Comments

An inside source at Santa Ana’s City Hall reported tonight that Santa Ana Chief of Police Paul Walters was selected to serve as interim Santa Ana City Manager, at a special session of the City Council.  He will continue to serve as Chief of Police while the search for a new City Manager continues.

Walters was one of several candidates for interim city manager, including Parks and Recreation Director Gerardo Mouet.

Walters has done a great job over the years managing an increasingly tight police budget.  Some years ago he managed the building of the Santa Ana police headquarters and jail.  He has consistently kept the jail full by renting extra space out to the feds.

The City Council was initially split but they rallied at the end and got behind Walters.

There is however concern in some quarters as to whether or not Walters will be able to be objective.  The SAPD uses up half of the city’s budget.  Will he be able to cut the SAPD’s budget, if he has to?

And what will Walters do with regard to stopping the unjust seizure of immigrants’ cars at the SAPD’s DUI checkpoints?

Update: who will succeed Dave Ream as Santa Ana City Manager?

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Politics, Santa Ana 6 Comments

Three candidates appear to be in the running at this point to become Interim Santa Ana City Manager, including SAPD Chief Paul Walters; Parks and Rec Director Gerardo Mouet; and Jan Perkins, a contractor.

It also appears that one of them will become the first Assistant Santa Ana City Manager.

All of these candidates have something to offer.  Mouet has really proven himself as an administrator while slashing his agency budget and still managing to increase service to the public.

Walters did a fine job overseeing the construction of the SAPD headquarters and jail a few years ago.  Like Mouet he has become an expert at making do with a smaller budget.

I don’t know Perkins, but as a contractor she can be fired at any time, which might appeal to the Santa Ana City Council.

Mouet appears to have the blessing of recently retired Santa Ana City Manager Dave Ream, who is now a consultant to the City.

If Walters is selected, it will be interesting to see who takes over as the new Chief of the SAPD.  His current assistant is Carlos Rojas, who might well become the first Latino SAPD Chief.

Who will be the next Santa Ana City Manager?

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Santa Ana 23 Comments

Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido and Santa Ana Parks and Rec Director Gerardo Mouet

It is early yet, but I am hearing that several candidates to replace retiring Santa Ana City Manager Dave Ream are emerging from City Hall, including Public Works Director Raul Godinez II and Parks and Recreation Director Gerardo Mouet, as well as Jill Arthur, who has been an assistant to Ream.

Godinez is being pursued by several other cities with City Manager vacancies.  He previously worked in Oakland, for then Mayor Jerry Brown.  He has also held elective office before.

Mouet has worked hard to provide Parks and Recreation services while constantly having to cut his budget.

Raul Godinez II

Arthur is thought to be favored by Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido, but it is unlikely she will garner enough support from the rest of the City Council to get the job.

There is also supposed to be a national search to replace Ream, but I have not verified that.

I am told that Mouet has the support of Ream, but he will need four votes from the City Council in order to replace Ream.  I am told that most if not all of them are seeking to appoint a Latino to replace Ream.

The City Council will be served by an interim City Manager, under contract, for the time being.

Update

I forgot to mention that SAPD Police Chief Paul Walters is also apparently in the mix to replace Ream, either on an interim basis or permanently.  Walters, like Mouet and Godinez II, is a very capable administrator.