Interim city manager Les Johnson leaving for Seal Beach
Despite having an open council seat and news that interim city manager is departing for Seal Beach, Mayor Richard Murphy expressed confidence this week in pending replacements as they devise a strategy to deal with the city’s fiscal emergency.
“I’m quite satisfied,” said Murphy on Saturday, asked about the situation while attending a public event.
Murphy and council member Shelley Hasselbrink said they are very excited about the potential appointment of a new city manager. The candidate they have tentatively selected for final consideration does have governmental experience, they said, though not necessarily as a city manager.
Interim city manager Les Johnson confirmed that he has resigned the position effective Jan. 20 and will assume the role of Community Development Director in nearby Seal Beach Jan. 27.
“I’ve been in this role (interim city manager) for five months,” said Johnson, “and I’ve enjoyed it very much.” In fact, Johnson said he applied for the position as City Manager in Los Alamitos, and, in fact, said he was offered the job. Upon reflection, however, Johnson said he decided to move on and resume a community development role.
“I’m just very comfortable doing community and economic development work,” said Johnson and “I just decided this is what I wanted to do. I’ve enjoyed working with everyone in Los Alamitos,” he said.
Johnson directed development for the city of Los Alamitos before assuming the interim city manager position after the resignation of Bret Plumlee.
Mayor Murphy has called a special meeting Tuesday to appoint a replacement for the vacant seat of former Mayor Warren Kusumoto, who abruptly resigned in December to accept a promotion that will take him out of state.
The exact date of announcing a new city manager has not been determined but it could come as early as Tuesday as an agenda item indicates the council will go into closed session to discuss the open position.
Regarding Kusumoto’s vacant seat, two Los Alamitos residents have applied to be appointed by the Council, according to city clerk Windy Quintanar.
The candidates are Tanya Doby, a human resources administrator, and Alex Duran, a security professional. They were the only two citizens to apply for the open seat.
As a candidate for the city council in 2018, Doby finished with approximately 15 percent of the vote, just 2.5 percent behind candidate Dean Grose, who obtained a seat. Duran is also very familiar with local government, currently serving as Vice Chairman of the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission.
Whichever candidate gets the nod from the council must face voters in November if they want to seek election to fill the remaining two-years of Kusumoto’s term. Murphy said the Council was
expected to interview both candidates before the Special Meeting Jan. 14. “We will select one,” said Murphy, adding that after the selection, the appointed council member will be immediately sworn in and take their place on the dais for the remainder of the meeting.
Also on the agenda of the special meeting is an update on the city’s fiscal sustainability efforts.
“The challenge facing the city is a projected structural deficit growing from $1.4 million this year to nearly $3.4 million in 2027-28,” according to a staff report. In late 2018, the city began “proactively” focusing on a plan to build future sustainability, exploring “critical choices to enable the ability to act timely to avoid or minimize cuts to city services and ensure the city’s long-term financial sustainability.”
Courtesy photos
Les Johnson
Tanya Doby
Alex Duran