The Office of the City Manager provides oversight and direction to ensure that all departments are responding to City Council goals, applying policy consistently, identifying key issues that need Council direction, keeping abreast of the changing needs of the community, and planning the services, programs and projects that will ensure Pasadena maintains its status and character as a great community in which to live, work and play. After sifting through 35 applications, the South Pasadena City Council picked a new city manager Wednesday in part for her familiarity with this small, bucolic city as well as her 30. While the City of South Pasadena is not a direct Social Service provider, City staff has established a Social Services Task Force to bring together the M - F 8:00 am - 5:00 pm. The City Manager is appointed by the Council to oversee the activities of the city. The South Pasadena City Council has unanimously voted to hire Armine Chaparyan as city manager, officials announced Friday. Jason Henry is an investigative reporter with the Southern California News Group. Jacob Lyle2023-03-02T14:17:41-08:00March 2, 2023|, Jacob Lyle2023-03-02T14:09:10-08:00March 2, 2023|, Jacob Lyle2023-03-02T14:03:18-08:00March 2, 2023|, Jacob Lyle2023-03-02T13:53:15-08:00March 2, 2023|, Jacob Lyle2023-03-02T12:54:16-08:00March 2, 2023|, Copyright document.write(new Date().getFullYear()); Public CEO | daily@publicceo.com Domenica Megerdichian has worked for four Los Angeles-area municipalities. In a statement, Mayor Diana Mahmud said the appointment of a city manager is the most important decision the City Council will make. The city received more than 50 applications for the position and ultimately narrowed the list to two: Christopher Jordan, a former Los Altos city manager, and Chaparyan. Four focus groups, made up of a total of 31 residents, offered input on the qualifications, experiences and qualities necessary for the ideal candidate for the next South Pasadena City Manager.. Though council members did not give a reason for the resignation, Jordan had clashed with them in the past, including in one instance in which he defied a 4-1 decision by the council to relocate its meetings. It states staff will conduct an additional background check of that applicant and negotiate an employment agreement before bringing the matter back to the council at an upcoming regular meeting of the City Council., During its search, South Pasadena received more than 50 applications for the job. Fax:(626) 403-7211 Mayor Diana Mahmud said: Appointment of a City Manager is the most important decision the City Council will make. 7, Candice Merrill, Co-Publisher | editor@pasadenanowmagazine.com South Pasadenas City Council originally planned to hire Jordan, but backed down from the decision during a special meeting April 20 in light of some community opposition. The virtual meeting will be conducted over ZOOM and broadcast live on the South Pasadena City Council meeting webpage. We know that Armin is very familiar with our city and looks forward to putting her energy and talent to good use in South Pasadena. Pasadena Black History Month Magazine, Parents: National Catholic Schools Week Guide. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a Master of Science degree in Public Administration from California State University at Los Angeles. True to its motto "Pride in the Past, Faith in the Future", the City of Monterey Park, California (population approximately 60,500) is recognized as one of the best places to live in America. A South Pasadena city councilwoman apologized Saturday, Aug.15, for making fake email accounts to attack her critics and then announced she will step down Aug. 18. She will start her new position with South Pasadena on Monday, May 31, 2021. During his tenure in South Pasadena, Joyce hired Josh Betta to be the city's Finance Director at that time. Jason Henry is an investigative reporter with the Southern California News Group. Pasadena Black History Month Magazine, Parents: National Catholic Schools Week Guide. He served as city attorney for the City of Vernon as a part of the Citys good governance initiative reform efforts. DeWolfe hired a consultant to reorganize the Finance Department and hired a new finance director, Karen Aceves. M-Th 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM, City Manager Special Projects . Ms. Chaparyan, a graduate of John Muir High School in Pasadena, holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from U.C.L.A and a Masters of Public Administration from U.S.C. I look forward to tackling these new challenges, and I am very excited to have the opportunity to work with the Hermosa Beach City Council, city staff and community, said Gonzalez. An unsolicited May 2020 report by the now retired Betta critiquing the city's finance practices opened a chain of events that help lead to the Sept. 12 departure of DeWolfe.. Also Wednesday, the City Council is set to authorize interim City Manager and Fire Chief Paul Riddle to seek . Mrquez has also worked for two private law firms (Cooley Godward LLP and Remcho, Johansen & Purcell), and as a management consultant at KPMG Peat Marwick, where he was part of a national financial and organizational consulting practice. He was admitted to the practice of law in 1977, and worked as an attorney for both El Centro De Accion Social, Inc., and Gronemeier, Barker & Huerta before joining the Pasadena City Attorneys Office. Your email address will not be published. Pasadena (/ p s d i n / PAS--DEE-n) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, 11 miles (18 km) northeast of downtown Los Angeles.It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. (626)737-8486 Ext. The South Pasadena City Council will host a candidate forum on Wednesday, April 28, 2021 from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm to introduce City Manager candidate Armin Chaparyan. Tamara Binns has over 15 years of government service, including local and federal, with a background in Bio-Medical Engineering. Raised in Ohio, Jason began his career at a suburban daily near Cleveland before moving to California in 2013. Mrquezs parents immigrated to the United States from Mxico with only a limited amount of formal education. Stephanie DeWolfe, the former Community Development Director for the City of West Hollywood, has been pushed out of her job as South Pasadenas city manager. Gonzalez will also be responsible for implementing and enforcing city policies and ordinances, and he will help the city complete and implement PLAN Hermosa, an update of Hermosas general plan and adoption of a local coastal program. We are excited to welcome Armin as our new City Manager. (310) 378-9116, Published on Saturday, April 8, 2017 | 1:33 pm. The proposal drew flak from some residents who felt the councils deliberations should have been done publicly to address Jordans sudden resignations from city manager roles in Los Altos and in West Linn, Oregon. Prior to joining the City of South Pasadena, Gonzalez served for 13 years in the nonprofit management sector. Click here to join on Thursday, April 28, 2021, at 6:30 pm (registration is not required to participate in the live forum). (626) 737-8486 Ext. Jordan was West Linns city manager when Timeus, who had worked with Jordan in a prior city, was hired as the police chief. We know that Armine is very familiar with our city and looks forward to putting her energy and talent to good use in South Pasadena. Contact Form, Hours of Operation: News provided by the City Manager's Office The City Manager's Office has launched a Social Services Resource Guide, providing a list of providers and resources available for community members. Prior to this role, she served as the Economic Development Manager at the City of San Gabriel, where she helped stabilize and grow the local economy during the COVID-19 pandemic. She will start her new position with South Pasadena on Monday, May 31, 2021. She will start her new position with South Pasadena on Monday, May 31, 2021. CITY OF PASADENA CITY MANAGER Section 10 - Page 1. With benefit of the insights of four community focus groups of 31 South Pasadena community leaders, each describing the ideal qualities they wish to see in the next city manager, the City Council retained executive recruiter Gary Phillips, of Bob Murray & Associates to undertake a national recruitment to gather qualified candidates to fill the citys vacant city manager position. We are excited to welcome Armine as our new City Manager, said Mayor Diana Mahmud. A full-service city, South Pasadena . Before that, she served as a redevelopment manager in Santa Clarita and as an senior project manager in Ontario, according to her LinkedIn. It received several honors, including recognition for being an energy-wise, environmentally sensitive and walkable city. When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. The City of South Pasadena is a general law city incorporated on March 2, 1888. A newsletter published by the Public Affairs Office. South Pasadena withdraws job offer to former, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), South Pasadena withdraws job offer to former Los Altos city manager, Baby girl Winter of Lake Arrowhead is born amid raging blizzard, Theres a dire need for male teachers of color. Coffee with the Chief. Your email address will not be published. The City Council narrowed the finalists to five, then two, before initially deciding to offer the job to Jordan, according to a staff report. He had previously left West Linn in 2015 under similar circumstances, collecting $141,652 in severance in exchange for an early exit following a shift in the council, according to the Palo Alto Daily Post and The Oregonian. Pasadena has found a new city manager after tapping Miguel Mrquez from his current post as chief operating officer of the county of Santa Clara. 801, Andr Coleman, Managing Editor | andrec@pasadenanowmagazine.com Fax:(626) 403-7211 He is a self-identified technophile, data nerd and wannabe drone pilot. Beyond the budget in any municipality, its helpful to keep an eye on the Demand Register, published as part of the City CouncilAgenda which actually shows where the $$$$s are going. South Pasadena to introduce city manager, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), South Pasadena to introduce city manager candidate to public, Baby girl Winter of Lake Arrowhead is born amid raging blizzard, Theres a dire need for male teachers of color. But especially controversial was DeWolfes handling of what she had described as inappropriate accounting practices by the citys Finance Department. Domenica Megerdichian, 1414 Mission Street, South Pasadena, CA 91030 | P:(626) 403-7200 | Contact Us. His first day on the job is scheduled to be May 15. Your email address will not be published. Additional questions may be asked at the end of the forum, if time permits, according to the citys announcement. . In Pasadena, Altadena, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena, San Marino, San Gabriel and Alhambra. During his tenure in South Pasadena, the city significantly increased its financial reserves while also investing over $12 million on infrastructure. Stephanie DeWolfe, the former Community Development Director for the City of West Hollywood, has been pushed out of her job as South Pasadena's city manager. The publication will remain free to readers and will not erect paywalls. Following fervent objections from some South Pasadena . The City Council consists of five members elected to four-year staggered terms of office. Chaparyan achieved her dream of becoming a city manager in May when she was named to that position in South Pasadena. For Advertising, Call (626) 737-8486 Ext. Chaparyan has 15 years of experience in municipal government and a masters degree in public administration from USC. Fax press release to : (888) 650-9712, James Macpherson, Co-Publisher | jamesm@pasadenanowmagazine.com Get all the latest Pasadena news, more than 10 fresh stories daily, 7 days a week at 7 a.m. The South Pasadena City Council had selected Jordan as its top candidate to fill the city manager's job and "was prepared to appoint and enter into an agreement" with him at its Wednesday. She had previously worked at Pasadena City Hall, at one point serving as Interim Assistant City Manager., according to her biography on the South Pasadena website. In 2008, Jordan received a 100-page confidential report detailing a series of allegations of racism and sexism against Timeus, but took no action against the chief, according to the Portland Tribune and the Oregonian. Gonzalezs annual salary will be $219,000. (626)737-8486 Ext. Copyright 2023. South Pasadena farmers market is open Thursdays, 4, Local High Schools Ranking According to U.S. News Report. If you want to hire him as city manager here, you should say why youre comfortable with his tenure in other cities, and why youve decided not to hold those previous controversies against him, Bray wrote. The City Manager's Office in South Pasadena has introduced a Social Services Resource Guide, which includes a list of providers and resources that can be utilized by community members. According to the South Pasadenan, the newspaper that covers South Pasadena, DeWolfes resignation took effect the day before the 4 p.m closed session meeting that the Pasadena City Council had arranged for this past Sunday. The City is soliciting bids for city attorney services! We are excited to welcome Armin as our new City Manager. South Pasadena, CA 91030, Phone:(626) 403-7210 As the Assistant to the City Manager, Tamara serves as the Citys Social Services liaison, and leads the City Social Services and Mental Health Task Force. (626)737-8486 Ext. The virtual forum with Chaparyan will be from 6:30-8 p.m., Wednesday, April 28. The South Pasadena community is invited to meet Ms. Chaparyan during the virtual forum as she presents her experience and interest in serving in the Citys top administrative post. Her starting annual salary is $215,000. Ms. Chaparyan has 15 years of local government experience, most recently serving as assistant city manager of San Gabriel. Sergios strong reputation became known to us during our search, and we expect he will enjoy even more success in Hermosa Beach, said Hermosa Beach Mayor Justin Massey. 4, Faith Fernandez, Chief Administrative Officer | ffernandez@pasadenanowmagazine.com The City Council will not consider approval of an employment agreement with Mr. Jordan and will now direct its attention toward the other candidate., The press release does not identify the second candidate. Your email address will not be published. For Advertising, Call (626) 737-8486 Ext. View listing photos, review sales history, and use our detailed real estate filters to find the perfect place. Bob Murray & Associates, the Roseville consulting firm the town hired to help identify retiring City Manager Carl Cahill's replacement, is the same firm that helped the South Pasadena City Council select former Los Altos City Manager Chris Jordan for its own vacant city manager post. He declared upon taking office that he had "more questions than answers, such as what is the current cash position of the City and are all funds accounted for." Your email address will not be published. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account. Breaking News Tips: (626) 737-8486 Extension 7 | Privacy Policy, Deputy Director of Long-Range Planning County of Santa Barbara, Systems Network Administrator Lamont Public Utility District, Associate Civil Engineer Town of Atherton, Alameda County kicks off Womens History Month with the announcement of the 2023 Womens Hall of Fame inductees, Riverside City Council approves cannabis business ordinance, Lancaster and Palmdale join forces to end the opioid crisis, State law requires cities to adopt solar permitting platform, Trackdown Managements Picking Up the Pieces. The City Council has an ambitious agenda for making South Pasadena even more special than it already is. During a closed session late Tuesday, the City Council voted unanimously not to move forward with the hire in light of expressed community opposition and concerns., The City Council is pleased that Mr. Jordan was one of two candidates that it considered capable of serving in the top administrative spot, a city press release stated. Ms. Chaparyan, a graduate of John Muir High School in Pasadena, holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from U.C.L.A and a Masters of Public Administration from U.S.C. The council was set to offer Jordan a four-year, $225,000 contract at its April 21 meeting before the decision was made not to move forward with his hiring. 8, Eddie Rivera | erivera@pasadenanowmagazine.com Its very interesting. She has led the City in navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, and has brought the organization to new heights during her time in South Pasadena. Retired Irvine City Manager Sean Joyce, a former South Pasadena City Manager, has been serving as Interim City Manager, though his agreement expired March 31, 2021.