All candidates call for new City Manager search

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One overlooked moment from the campaign trail occurred during the Kol Ami Candidate Forum.

After a question directed to me about City Hall management, I suggested that it might be time to begin the search for a new city manager. David Wilson, the current city manager, has two years remaining in his contract.

Following my statement, during the question-and-answer period, all the candidates were asked if they would vote to begin the search for a new city manager. Every candidate in attendance said “yes.” Present were Jordan Cockeram, Dorian Jackson, Danny Hang, George Nickle, John Erickson and.West Segmiller  and myself.  Stephanie LeHart did not attend the forum, and Rachel Schmeidler had dropped out of the race prior to the event.

David Wilson became the city manager in 2021 following the resignation and retirement of former city manager Paul Arevalo. At that time, City Council voted to appoint Wilson to the position without conducting an external search.

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Alan Strasburg
Alan Strasburg
13 days ago

David Wilson has been an effective and competent financial manager for the city for many years and he should be lauded for that technical skill. He has been a completely feckless, rudderless, and incompetent city manager and he should be summarily fired for that leadership failing. Sadly, the council majority lacks the sophistication to engage in this all-important task without the appearance (reality!) that it will be an exercise in checking boxes above being a meaningful quest for professional excellence. Clean house at city hall. Restore our confidence in the people who are paid (highly) to do the work on… Read more »

Charles
Charles
12 days ago
Reply to  Alan Strasburg

BBK is complicit to unethical dealings. For as much as the city says they have no say on the outcome of the internal investigation, they do. BBK and the city are one.

Lynn
Lynn
15 days ago

Since David Wilson has refused to acknowledge the mistake made by appointing incompetent personnel (Laura B., Danny Rivas, Janet Jimenez, and Steve Campbell) as directors, he proved he cannot be trusted. David Wilson lacks transparency and the first step in restoring trust to the community and staff is by firing him. He demonstrated lack of care to numerous concerns of nepotism, favoritism, bullying, harassment, retaliation, backdoor dealings, etc. and went as far as to avoid informing the then WEHO MAYOR of lobbyists being part of WeHo hiring panel. The man cannot be trusted and he needs to resign or be… Read more »

Steve Martin
Steve Martin
16 days ago

There needs to be a national search for a new City Manager. That search should be spearheaded by a committee that includes interested stakeholders: the business community and residents. The last process was performative and rather exploitive of the candidates and totally unprofessional. I would hope a Council sub-committee headed by our most senior Council members could co-chair a search committee. The current City Manager is not respected by the Council members who installed him; we need to have a City Manager whose professional opinion will be appreciated and heeded.

West
West
16 days ago

This was a telling moment during the debate that definitely was overlooked. Whichever challenger makes it past the finish line ought to enter office with a mandate to clean house, at last.