Special Issue! January, 2009 Volume 3, No · 2017. 3. 26. · Special Issue! Jack A. and Susan Simpson, 16707 Gerritt Avenue, Cerritos, California 90703-1442 Office No. 562/926-0800;

Special Issue!

www.trackdownmanagement.net

Jack A. and Susan Simpson, 16707 Gerritt Avenue, Cerritos, California 90703-1442 Office No. 562/926-0800; Cell Nos. 562/896-5424 & 310-418-1035

[email protected]; and [email protected]

January, 2009

Volume 3, No.1A

“Providing thread to help stitch together the

fabric of the City Management Community.”

The Week Following

Susan Simpson’s Birthday

We do not contend that this chronology is all

inclusive. In fact, having a full understanding

of our abilities or lack thereof for recollection

and note-taking, we are most certain that

someone and/or something of importance

and substance have been omitted. Please

accept our apology. No one was left out on

purpose. We understand that everyone

experiences events from varying perspectives.

This account is our perspective for what it is

worth.

“Don’t forget your history nor your destiny!”

--Bob Marley

What we are trying to do here is produce an

historical “thread” for those who might have

an interest. Someone might find some utility in

this information someday…if not today! And, if

not, what the heck, it is here for enjoyment and

entertainment. Let’s have some fun in spite of

the poor economy and a State Government

that is broken!

Former City Manager Jack A. Simpson of Trackdown

Management and his daughter Jacki “Cookie” Beebe: wife of

Mike and mother of Eric and Dani. Jack has 4 daughters.

City Manager Newsletter January, 2009 [2]

The Week Following

Susan Simpson’s Birthday

Sunday evening, January 11,

2009 found the Simpson Family

at a traditional gathering

around a teppanyaki table at

Benihana’s in Anaheim

celebrating my lovely wife

Susan Simpson’s birthday. We won’t dwell on

a number here. Let’s just say she is much

younger than me. Our five-year old grandson

Tyler enjoys the Benihana chef’s showmanship

as much or more than his culinary skills, but the

expertly prepared and cooked to perfection

meals are magnets to the grown-ups. Our

family traditionally gathers around a

teppanyaki grill to celebrate birthdays so we

will be back in February when Tyler turns six.

http://www.piperjaffray.com

In Sacramento with the CCCA

I turned left into the Sacramento Hyatt

Regency’s parking structure about 2:30 p.m.

on Monday, January 12, on my way to attend

the 42nd Annual Sacramento Legislative

Orientation Tour of the California Contract

Cities Association (CCCA). After parking on

the top floor and taking the elevator to the

hotel entrance level, I checked in but had to

wait for my room as it was not yet ready. I ran

into and chatted with CDS Executive Richard

Fierro on my way to find a late lunch at

Dawson’s.

“Don’t let your dreams be dreams.”

--American Singer, Song Writer, & Guitarist Jack Johnson

Trackdown Posse Roster Thank you for the awesome support: Gregory Korduner, Huntington Park *

Howard Chambers, Lakewood Mike Egan, Bellflower Ernie Garcia, Norwalk

Joe Tanner, Vallejo Bob Gutierrez, Moreno Valley

Dave Carmany, Seal Beach Maria Dadian, Artesia

Linda Lowry, Pomona ** Ken Bayless, Greater L.A. Vector Control District

Jeff Stewart, “In Transition” Kevin O’Rourke, Fairfield (Retired)

Tom Odom, Lomita George Rodericks, Belvedere June Catalano, Pleasant Hill

Nelson Oliva, Hercules Richard Ramirez, American Canyon

Vern Lawson, Lancaster ** Fred Diaz, Fremont Fran Delach, Azusa

Bill Kelly, Urban Futures, Inc. Chris Kelly, Chino Hills Don Penman, Arcadia

Jason Gonsalves, Joe A. Gonsalves & Son Anthony Gonsalves, Joe A. Gonsalves & Son

Paul Gonsalves, Joe A. Gonsalves & Son Bill Crowe, El Segundo

Gerald W. Forde, McFarland Steve R. Thatcher, SRT Associates

Ernesto Marquez, Hawaiian Gardens Gary K. & Mary Jo Sloan, La Mirada (Retired)

Bob & Nadean Dickey, South Gate Deborah Lopez, Pico Rivera

Glenn Southard, Indio Jan Perkins, Management Partners

Andy Takata, Yucca Valley Marcia Raines, Half Moon Bay

Gene Rogers, Moreno Valley (Retired) Anthony R. Ybarra, South El Monte

Arthur C. Simonian, Simonian Consulting, Inc. Jay Tashiro, Moraga

Bob Griego, Irwindale Ken Caresio, Retired City Manager

Greg Nordbak, Midway City Sanitary District Carlos Urrutia, Rocklin

Michael P. Busch, Urban Futures, Inc. David M. Jinkens, South Lake Tahoe

Wade McKinney, Atascadero Mike & Judie Sedell, Simi Valley

Andy Lazzaretto, A.C. Lazzaretto & Associates Fred Guido, County of Los Angeles

Tim Kerr, Turlock Doug LaBelle, Chino Hills

City of Cerritos John Keisler, Long Beach

Sheryl Lindsey-Boell, CH2MHILL OMI Sam Olivito, California Contract Cities Association

Bob Dominguez, Placentia (Retired) Jack Lam, Rancho Cucamonga

City Manager Newsletter January, 2009 [3]

In Sacramento with the CCCA

As I was finishing off an awesome Dawson’s

tuna melt, La Puente’s Interim City Manager

Frank G. Tripepi, who is also the President &

CEO of Willdan Financial Services and Paul

Whitelaw of WFS dropped by. We talked of

veteran City Manager Tim Kerr’s severance

from Turlock, the general sad shape of the

economy, and of the Governor and

Legislature’s work towards a State Budget

during these grave economic times.

Among those in the Hyatt lobby

were Lakewood Council

Member Diane DuBois, and

Assistant to the City Manager

Lisa Novotny preparing to visit

some Legislators with their

“support cities” message. Council Member

DuBois has been active with the Lakewood

Meals On Wheels program, a member of the

Greater Long Beach Girl Scouts Council

governing board and a volunteer at the

Pathways Volunteer Hospice, where we met

when our daughter Casey Simpson sang at a

Pathways’ Christmas program in Cerritos. http://www.lakewoodcity.org/council_n_coms/lakewood_city_council.asp

For Municipal Law Services

Call the Firm of

Colantuono & Levin www.CLLAW.US

After obtaining my room keycard at the hotel

registration desk from a very expeditious and

cheerful Hyatt staffer, I dropped my luggage

at room 854, and hung up my shirts and slacks.

I then returned to the lobby to visit Sharon

Olivito at the “contract cities’” event

registration desk to pick up an event badge

and program.

http://www.ejdelarosa.com/

The sign at the table noted that the event

Sponsors included: Willdan Financial Services,

Wolf & Company, Inc., and The Cabinet. It

was about then that I called Sasha Spangler at

Joe A. Gonsalves & Son for some assistance

with a telephone number, and got ready for

the CCCA 5:30 to 7 p.m. “Welcome

Reception” in the Capitol View Room on the

15th Floor of the Hyatt Regency.

What a nice reception venue Sam and Sharon

Olivito chose for the event’s social kick-off. We

met a good number of the orientation

participants there, including: Signal Hill Council

Member Ellen Ward, Norwalk City Manager

Ernie Garcia, Rolling Hills Estates City Manager

Doug Prichard, and Huntington Park City

Manager Gregory Korduner. Retired Fairfield,

Buena Park and Stanton City Manager Kevin

O’Rourke, a past President of the City

Managers’ Department of the League of

California Cities, met us at the reception.

Anthony & Evelyn Gonsalves, Jason & Tracy

Gonsalves and Paul Gonsalves of the Joe A.

Gonsalves & Son professional legislative

representation firm were all in attendance too.

Former City Manager Wesley Wolf of Wolf & Company,

Inc., and Signal Hill City Council Member Ellen Ward

share some laughter at the CCCA reception. They

worked with each other in the 1970s.

City Manager Newsletter January, 2009 [4]

http://www.kndinc.com/index.htm

In Sacramento with the CCCA

Following the reception, we were honored to

be included on the dinner guest list of

Consolidated Disposal Service’s Richard Fierro

and Sam Peña at the Firehouse Restaurant in

Old Town Sacramento. CDS is a subsidiary

company of Republic Services, Inc. and

provides refuse management and disposal

services in 32 Southern California cities, the

County of Santa Barbara, and 5 major district

service areas. Their city clients include:

Alhambra, Artesia, Arcadia, Avalon, Bell,

Burbank, Cudahy, Cypress, El Segundo,

Glendale, Goleta, Hawaiian Gardens,

Hawthorne, Huntington Park, Hermosa Beach,

La Cañada Flintridge, La Mirada, Lawndale,

Los Alamitos, Lynwood, Maywood, Monrovia,

Norwalk, Pasadena, Redondo Beach, Rolling

Hills, Rosemead, Santa Barbara, Santa Clarita,

Santa Fe Springs, Seal Beach, and Whittier.

Among those in the dinner crowd at the

historical Golden Eagles Room in the Firehouse

Restaurant joining State Senator Ron Calderon

and the CDS officials were: Lawndale Mayor

Harold Hoffman, a past President of the

California Contract Cities Association; Signal

Hill Council Member Ellen Ward, retired from

the Santa Ana Parks & Recreation Department

with service in the Cities of Artesia, Hawaiian

Gardens, and Paramount; Council Member

John R. Noguez of Huntington Park, a past

President of the Los Angeles County Division of

the League of California Cities and an official

with the Los Angeles County Assessor’s Office;

the Artesia City Council was well-represented

including Mayor Sally Zuniga Flowers, the

immediate past President of CCCA; and

Norwalk Mayor Rick Ramirez. Also there were

City Managers: Ernie Garcia, Greg Korduner,

Maria Dadian and Kevin O’Rourke. TNT

Fireworks executive John Kelly of American

Promotional Events, Inc. and Sharon and Tony

Olivito of the CCCA staff were also there. Sally

Flowers of Artesia provided us with her new

business card as a Conservation Coordinator

for the Central Basin Municipal Water District.

www.keenan.com

Rolling Hills Estates City Manager Doug Prichard, who is

the current Chair of the CCCA City Managers’ &

Administrators’ Committee and is known for his swimming

exploits, chatted here with Anthony Gonsalves of Joe A.

Gonsalves & Son, professional legislative representation.

Retired City Manager Kevin O’Rourke of KOLGS poses

with Jason Gonsalves of Joe A. Gonsalves & Son and his

beautiful wife Tracy.

http://www.mercergroupinc.com/

City Manager Newsletter January, 2009 [5]

In Sacramento with the CCCA

Bright and early…actually “0-dark-thirty”…well,

it was really 6:30 a.m. but it was still dark

outside. Tuesday morning Huntington Park City

Manager Greg Korduner and I met in the Hyatt

Regency lobby for an invigorating morning

walk. We skirted around the Capitol Park

grounds and made our way to the

Sacramento River and Old Town. On the way

back to the hotel, we stopped for some coffee

at Starbuck’s on the K Street Mall.

The orientation meeting

and presentations were

held in a Legislative

Committee room on the

fourth floor of the Capitol.

After showering and changing clothes, I

walked over to the Capitol with Greg Korduner

and Huntington Park Assistant City Manager

Alan Shear. On our way we stopped to take a

look at the special rose garden on the Capitol

grounds dedicated to M. D. “Mac” McKeown.

http://www.hdlcompanies.com/

CCCA Past President Margaret E. Finlay and Executive

Board Member Lois Gaston, both of the Duarte City

Council poses with Duarte City Manager Darrell George

on the California State Capitol grounds.

http://www.urbanfuturesinc.com/

CCCA Legislative Committee Chair Laura

Olhasso of La Cañada Flintridge and CCCA

Executive Board President Frank V. Zerunyan of

Rolling Hills Estates, along with Executive

Director Sam Olivito and Independent Cities’

Executive Director Debbie Smith did a

marvelous job of providing a continuous line-

up of noteworthy and remarkable speakers.

Presenters included: Assembly Member Fiona

Ma of San Francisco; Alberto Torrico of Newark;

Cameron Smyth of Santa Clarita; Senator Bob

Dutton, a former Rancho Cucamonga Council

Member; Deputy State Treasurer Paul

Rosenstiel; Thomas L. Sheehy, State

Department of Finance, Chief Deputy Director

for Policy; Assembly Member Noreen Evans of

Santa Rosa; Senator George C. Runner of

Lancaster; Senator Bob Huff of Diamond Bar;

Assembly Member Paul Krekorian of Burbank;

South Gate Assembly Member Hector de la

Torre; and a representative of the Legislative

Analyst’s Office.

http://www.jones-mayer.com/

Throughout the morning presentations it was

clear that California’s State Government has a

budget crisis that it seems ill-prepared to solve.

The unfortunate and disappointing weak

condition of the National Economy has

aggravated the problem. Term limits has given

California an inexperienced cadre of leaders

ill-equipped and unable to appropriately

address difficult issues. California’s State

Government is broken, and needs attention

expeditiously, which, of course, will not

happen.

City Manager Newsletter January, 2009 [6]

www.willdan.com

In Sacramento with the CCCA

California Secretary of State Debra Bowen

addressed the CCCA group at a luncheon in

the Hyatt Regency’s Capitol View Room.

Secretary Bowen said she was prepared to

tackle questions on the budget, but the

audience had had enough budget talk during

the long morning session and did not ask her

any budget questions.

Signal Hill Council Member Ellen Ward, Norwalk

City Manager Ernie Garcia and I joined a table

with the members of the Hercules City Council.

Hercules City Manager Nelson Oliva had to

leave the program to address some issues

“back at the ranch.” Fran Mancia of

MuniServices was in the audience and

stopped to say “Hello.”

http://www.wolfhousing.com/

That evening the CCCA Program included a

Legislative Reception in the State Capitol

Basement Rotunda. Well-attended in past

years, this year’s turnout was admirable

considering the economic considerations of

the member cities. We had the opportunity to

chat with Lee Dolley and meet his new partner

E. E. Wang of The Cabinet as they stepped

from the elevator. Tony Olivito gave us a

business card proudly displaying his new

position as the CCCA Director of Public Affairs

& Communications.

www.MathisGroup.net

Former City Manager Wesley Wolf of Wolf &

Company, Inc. invited me to joined a small

group for dinner at Mulvaney’s At The B & L

following the reception. Among those at the

dinner were Independent Cities Executive

Director Debbie Smith, Compton Council

Member Barbara J. Calhoun, who is a member

of the Independent Cities’ Executive Board,

and former Assembly Member and long-time

lobbyist Bruce Young. It was an honor to have

been included.

City Managers who attended the 42nd Annual

CCCA Sacramento Legislative Orientation Tour

included: Oliver Chi, Rosemead; Nelson Oliva,

Hercules; Mark Alexander, La Cañada

Flintridge; Ernie Garcia, Norwalk; Howard

Chambers, Lakewood; Darrell George, Duarte;

Gregory Korduner, Huntington Park; Maria

Dadian, Artesia; Frank G. Tripepi, La Puente;

and Doug Prichard, Rolling Hills Estates.

Huntington Park Assistant City Manager Alan

Shear, Pico Rivera Assistant City Manager Jeff

Prang, Assistant to the City Manager Lisa

Novotny of Lakewood, and, of course, CCCA

Executive Director Sam Olivito and

Independent Cities Executive Debbie Smith

were also there.

http://www.gonsalvi.com/

City Manager Newsletter January, 2009 [7]

"Lobbyists are like parachutes. You don't need them very

often, but when you need them, they'd better work."

--Joe A. Gonsalves

CCMF Board Meets in the Desert

Wednesday morning I drove home from

Sacramento and prepared for the drive to the

desert to attend the Quarterly Meeting of the

California City Management Foundation

Board. The Board gathered for its annual

planning meeting on Thursday at the La Quinta

Embassy Suites. Three new members of the

Board were introduced: Napa City Manager

Mike Parness, Livermore City Manager Linda

Barton, and Hanford Assistant City Manager

Hilary Straus.

After a long day of discussing the Foundation’s

website maintenance and improvement with

computer communications expert Ryder Todd

Smith of Tripepi Smith & Associates, and the

group’s work plan, including: fiscal policy, a

Renaissance/Senior Manager Seminar-

Program, Board Member orientation packets,

bylaws review and update, and

marketing/branding efforts the group

gathered for dinner hosted by Steve Heaney of

Stone & Youngberg at the new Jackalope

Ranch Restaurant in Indio, developed by the

late Don Callendar, of the Marie Callendar

Restaurant chain.

California City Management Foundation

Every California City Manager Should Be A Member!

www.cacitymanagers.org

www.joneshall.com

http://www.parsinfo.org/

Friday morning the Board met bright and early

and worked diligently through the meeting

agenda. The next Board meeting is scheduled

April in Los Gatos.

CCMF Board Members include: President Rita

Geldert, Vista City Manager; Vice President

Wade McKinney, Atascadero City Manager;

Secretary/Treasurer Mark Curran of Piper

Jaffray; Laguna Hills City Manager Bruce

Channing, who is primarily responsible for the

success of recent CCMF Golf Tournaments;

Rancho Cucamonga Assistant City Manager

Pam Easter; Anthony D. Gonsalves of Joe A.

Gonsalves & Son; Stephen Heaney of Stone &

Youngberg; Santa Rosa City Manager Jeff

Kolin; Hanford Assistant City Manager Hilary

Straus; Dr. R. William Mathis of the Mathis

Group; Mike Parness, Napa City Manager;

Darold Pieper, Attorney-at-law; Millbrae City

Manager Marcia Raines; Glenn Southard, Indio

City Manager; Livermore City Manager Linda

Barton and Jack A. Simpson of Trackdown

Management Services.

The California City Management Foundation is the

premier advocacy and support organization for

City Managers and the profession, and was

created to promote the well being of City

Managers and the Council/Manager form of

government.

http://caltrust.org/

Contact Lyle Defenbaugh about CalTRUST investment

opportunities for cities. [email protected]

City Manager Newsletter January, 2009 [8]

http://www.bobmurrayassoc.com/

California City Management

Foundation’s

Eleventh Annual Golf Tournament

Is presented by primary sponsor

Urban Futures Incorporated

Poppy Hills Golf Course

3200 Lopez Road, Pebble Beach, California

93953

February 6, 2009

12:00 Noon Shotgun Start

$200 player fee includes: green fees, golf cart,

range balls, golf shirt, welcome package, box

lunch and Post-Tournament Reception.

For Information Please Contact:

Bill Garrett at (619) 303-8068, or

Bruce Channing at (949) 707-2610

Experienced in conducting personnel – and

internal affairs investigations.

http://www.americanhomelandsolutions.com/

Anthony D. Gonsalves and Indio City Manager Glenn

Southard pose with Anthony’s wife Evelyn at the new

Jackalope Ranch Restaurant in Indio.

http://www.styo.com/

Rancho Cucamonga Assistant City Manager Pam Easter,

new Millbrae City Manager Marcia Raines and Hanford

Assistant City Manager Hilary Straus.

Judy Garrett, wife of CCMF Executive Director Bill Garrett,

who provides invaluable staff assistance to the Board,

and retired Fire Chief and public manager Dale Geldert,

spouse to CCMF President Rita Geldert.

City Manager Newsletter January, 2009 [9]

Larry, Gavin and Loren Kosmont

http://www.kosmont.com/

Kosmont Companies

is a ICSC member:

ICSC's Southern California Idea Exchange is

scheduled for JANUARY 28, 2009 at the Long

Beach Convention Center, Long Beach, California.

You can register now at www.ICSC.org

Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth L. Bayless. Ken is a retired Chief with the Los

Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the organizing

President & CEO for Willdan Homeland Solutions. Jackie and Ken

tied the knot in 2008. Ken is currently the District Manager for the

Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District.

Many people have gone further than they thought they

could because someone else thought they could.

~ Unknown

M. D. “Mac” McKeown is a former City

Manager in Dairy Valley (Cerritos), Paramount,

Norwalk and Artesia. He also did some special

and interim assignments in other jurisdictions

including the cities of South El Monte, Palmdale

and the City of Industry.

It was my good fortune, though I not always

thought it as such, to have met Mac in the

latter months of 1965 when then-Paramount

Assistant City Manager Chris Rope appointed

me to an Administrative Intern slot alongside

Jim Barisic. Jim and I were both

undergraduates at Long Beach State at the

time. Little did I know that that introduction to

city government would lead me to a 30-some

year career in public administration?

Mac was always one to stay in touch with

those who had come under his tutelage,

whether by working for him or with him as a

colleague. During the past several years Mac

hosted a birthday/holiday luncheon get-

together for a group who willingly gathered in

respect to him. I feel privileged to have been

included along with Huntington Park City

Manager Gregory Korduner, retired Ventura

County Manager John F. Johnston, David Lund,

Jim Barisic, Pat West, Bill Holt, Ray Harris, Andy

Lazzaretto, Charlie Wagner, Arnaldo Casillas

and many others. Mac could always gather an

impressive crowd.

www.us.bureauveritas.com

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESSIE HEARTHER!

City Manager Newsletter January, 2009 [10]

Mac has never liked publicity, but his quiet

“nice-guy” cover was blown in September,

2007 when current and former female

California State Legislators honored him with a

commemorative rose garden on the Capitol

grounds thanking him as the “Rose Man.” Mac

had hand-delivered a single rose to each

female lawmaker every month from 1978 to

2003. It was a token of appreciation for their

hard work in the generally male-dominated

working environment of the legislature. It was

reported that Mac choked up at the honor,

but grumped about the presence of the press.

At Mac’s birthday/holiday luncheon in Long

Beach this past December held at Parker’s

Lighthouse in Long Beach, Mac distributed a

single rose to each attendee. It was a very

nice gathering. Those who worked with Mac

over the years include (but are not limited to):

Judy Chilcot, Peter B. Feenstra, Don Lamm,

Charlie Wagner, Chuck Beecher, Lynn Nordby,

Greg Korduner, Jim Barisic, Chris Rope, Arnaldo

Casillas, David Lund, Johnny Johnston, Jack A.

Simpson, Ellen Ward, Marcy Delgado, Lance

Burkholder, Bruce Unruh, Les Pricer, Richard

McDowell, Dick Streng, Dick Kahanek, Brent

Coles, and Pat Brown.

Women Leading Government (WLG)

A Cal-ICMA Coaching Program WLG is designed to

assist female managers in their career development.

http://www.womenleadinggovernment.org/

Thanks to ICMA (WLG) has a new web site.

http://inaugurationday2009.com

2009 City Managers Department Meeting

February 4-6, 2009

Hyatt Regency

Monterey, California

www.cacities.org/events

Picking Up The Pieces: Orange County Board of

Supervisor’s policy advisor Jennifer Phillips will

replace retiring Gordon Anderson as Assistant City

Manager in Santa Monica. A 30-year member of

the Pico Rivera City Council and a Past President of

the California Contract Cities Association “Mayor

Emeritus” Garth Gardner, 86, died Tuesday, January

13 following a heart attack January 7. Turlock City

Manager Tim Kerr has been dismissed. Tim is a

former City Manager in Livingston and Ceres, and is

a past member of the California City Management

Foundation Board. La Puente Interim City Manager

Frank G. Tripepi has sold his highly successful 1971

Ford Mustang Mach 1 428 Cobra Jet show car. The

car was a repeated winner of Best of Show honors

in big California car shows. Pomona’s Assistant to

the City Manager Rod Butler, 44, has been

appointed to the City Manager post in Crescent

City replacing Interim City Manager Michael Young.

Eli Naffah resigned unexpectedly in May, 2008 to

pursue an economic development career. Long-

time San Diego County veteran engineering

consultant Richard Jacobs notes that Escondido

City Manager Clay Phillips was the Finance Director

in Escondido while serving as Deputy City Manager,

which is not mentioned in the ICMA Who’s Who

Directory. Don Knabe, Los Angeles County

Supervisor, Fourth District, and his son Matt Knabe of

Englander and

Associates poses with

USC Head Football

Coach Pete Carroll.

Matt is a member of

the Long Beach Golf

Commission.

Remember the California City Management Foundation

Member Appreciation Dinner held in conjunction with the

Annual League City Managers’ Department Conference.

This year it will be on Thursday, February 5, 2009 at the

Club Del Monte at the Naval Postgraduate School,

1 University Circle, Building 220, Monterey. $50 per person.

6 p.m. reception & a 7 p.m dinner. Address questions to

Melanie Arner Corona of Piper Jaffray at 415-984-5135, [email protected]

Listen to Country Music Artist Casey Simpson

www.myspace.com/caseysimpsonmusic