Council hopes to name new City Manager by Thanksgiving
CITY HALL — It appears that the new City Manager won’t come from within the local government as the three current city employees who applied have been passed up for the position.
Sources said on Tuesday that Gordon Anderson, assistant city manager; James T. Butts Jr., police chief; and Craig Perkins, director of environmental and public works, applied for the position but the City Council has decided to pursue other applicants.
Anderson, Butts and Perkins declined to comment on their applications, the contents of which are confidential. Some environmental leaders were disappointed with the City Council’s decision not to further consider Perkins (see page 4).
The City Council, which met behind closed doors on Monday, has screened 61 applicants for the City Manager position. Councilmembers have been meeting weekly in private for the past month and have interviewed several applicants.
It’s expected that the City Council will name the new City Manager prior to the Thanksgiving holiday.
Susan McCarthy, the outgoing City Manager, said she will preside over the Nov. 22 council meeting, with her last day on the job slated for Dec. 8. McCarthy, who has held her position since 1999, announced her year-end retirement plans this summer.
Of the applicants, City Councilman Bob Holbrook estimates that two-thirds have been residents of California. Most applicants are city managers or other high-ranking government administrators, although some also work in the private sector, Holbrook said.
The position carries a salary of between $225,000 to $250,000 per year, with perks that range from free health care to 12 holidays and one vacation day accrued per month.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 16, 2005. Read the original PDF.