Anyone aspiring to be the permanent Avalon city manager will have until the end of May to submit an application, according to City Attorney Scott Campbell.
“Today’s the first day and I’ve got four (resumes) already,” Campbell said on Wednesday, May 1.
Fire Chief Steve Hoefs stepped down from the part time city manager’s position at the end of March.
Anyone aspiring to be the permanent Avalon city manager will have until the end of May to submit an application, according to City Attorney Scott Campbell.
“Today’s the first day and I’ve got four (resumes) already,” Campbell said on Wednesday, May 1.
Fire Chief Steve Hoefs stepped down from the part time city manager’s position at the end of March.
Part time Chief Administrative Officer Charlie Wagner was compelled to step down from his position earlier this year because California Public Employees’ Retirement System rules would not allow him to continue working for the city.
Hoefs and Wagner had essentially shared the city manager’s job following the retirement of Pete Woolson in 2009.
In March, Mayor Bob Kennedy said the skill set of applicants for Hoefs’ job would determine whether the city manager position would be split again.
According to a Catalina Islander website poll, the public would apparently prefer to have one person doing the job.
Seventy-percent of those polled said the city manager should be a full time position held by one person.
Eleven percent agreed that splitting the position saved Avalon money. Another 11 percent had no opinion.
Denise Radde, who is the city clerk and assistant city manager, was formally appointed interim city manager on April 16. Radde will be paid $58,000 a year in addition to her assistant city manager/city clerk salary, but will receive no additional benefits.
At the time, Campbell said Radde was doing a fantastic job.
His assessment of her performance hasn’t changed. Campbell said Radde was doing “fantastically. I’ve heard no complaints, nor do I have any.”
He said she was doing a “great job” as the interim city manager.
Radde said she was doing well and credited her “great support staff.”
Campbell said the length of the search for a permanent city manager would depend on the number of resumes submitted and whether they are acceptable.
In March, Hoefs said 60 percent or more of the city manager’s job is based on local knowledge. He said a new city manager would need about three months just to get to know the community.
He said Avalon has had managers in the past that lived on the Island and had children in the school here. They did well.
However, he said, managers who came to the Island at the end of their careers who did not do so well. He said his successor should be someone who works well with others.
Hoefs said to be successful on Catalina, a city manager needs to work with the Santa Catalina Island Company, the Catalina Island Conservancy and the Chamber of Commerce. In March, Mayor Kennedy said the City Council would be looking for someone who was experienced, but in the early stage of their career.
The pay for a city manager in 2013 can range from $43,037-$150,605, according to PayScale.com.
