McCarthy leaving her City Manager job Dec. 8
CITY HALL — Elected officials say they are narrowing the search to fill the city’s top administrator position and may have a person in mind before Thanksgiving.
The Santa Monica City Council was scheduled to convene on Monday for a final discussion of the candidates. Meanwhile, city officials said the search for a new planning director will be more vigorously pursued once the new city manager assumes his or her duties and can help oversee the process.
City Manager Susan McCarthy, who has held her position since 1999, announced this summer that she will retire in December.
Responsible for the “belt-tightening” that enabled City Hall to ride out the post-9-11 economic downturn, she intends to spend more time with her husband and aging parents.
McCarthy said the last City Council meeting she will participate in will be next Tuesday. Her last day on the job will be Dec. 8.
Councilmembers have screened 61 applicants for the city manager position, said City Councilman Bob Holbrook, who has helped organize the search effort. They have been meeting weekly behind closed doors for the past month and have held several interviews with applicants, Holbrook said. It’s his hope the City Council would be able to make a decision this week.
“We’ll be going over where we are and see if we have a finalist,” Holbrook said.
Of the applicants, Holbrook estimates one third are out of state and the remaining two thirds are residents of California. Among them, three currently work at City Hall and two have previously worked at City Hall, Holbrook said.
One of the candidates is Assistant City Manager Gordon Anderson, who has been public about his application. The identities of the other applicants are confidential.
Holbrook said the applicants tended to be city managers and other high-ranking government administrators. Some also work in the private sector.
“There has been no disappointment in the quality and qualifications of the candidates,” Holbrook said. “They have been outstanding. It’s just a matter of trying to find the perfect fit for Santa Monica.”
The City Council agreed in September to hire headhunter Lisa Mills, to help fill the vacancy. Mills has a background in recruiting for public service positions and came highly recommended from city staff for her hands-on approach.
Mills is charging City Hall a flat fee of $17,000. Other fees, such as advertising costs, also are expected to be passed on to City Hall, but Mills intends to keep those close to $4,000, Holbrook said. To solicit interest from individuals, Mills prepared a brochure, which includes the salary and benefits, and mailed it to 150 people in California, primarily to managers of cities with populations of more than 65,000.
Mills also has sent an e-mail to the city managers with the brochure attached as a PDF file, to be certain they are aware the position is available. The brochure advertises a salary range of $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.
Mills also has advertised the position in a monthly publication issued by the International City Managers Association, a group that is well-regarded in the area of public service, she said.
Who ever is chosen will have big shoes to fill since most politicians and city staff hold a high regard for McCarthy. Through her efforts, Santa Monica has maintained its triple A bond rating while supporting big-ticket capital improvements that have been in the works since the 1990s. Some of those projects are expected to open this year, including the $55 million Main Library, the $13 million Virginia Avenue Park expansion and the new $722,000 skatepark at 14th Street and Olympic Boulevard. She garnered support for the recently increased hotel room tax in order to strengthen Santa Monica’s present and future financial base.
McCarthy will be leaving her successor to complete a two-year overhaul to the city’s planning and traffic plan, which will set policy for development and transportation in Santa Monica for the next 20 years. The $120 million Civic Center complex, a $90 million downtown parking plan and the redevelopment of Santa Monica Place Mall are further undertakings she has helped manage, which will be carried on by other leaders.
McCarthy said she has spent her last weeks on the job paving the way for the new city manager to assume his or her duties.
“I certainly hope to turn things over in reasonable shape,” McCarthy said. “I haven't had time to feel anything but busy.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 15, 2005. Read the original PDF.