UPDATED: Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido found four votes on the City Council last night, but as it turned out that was only so the City Attorney could review the contract that will be offered to acting City Manager Paul Walters, to make him the permanent City Manager. The decision to give him that post will be done in closed session but the contract, per the city charter, will have to be voted on in a City Council meeting – and Pulido will need five votes to approve that contract. That may not be easy as some on the Council want Walters to step down as Chief of the Santa Ana Police Department, and there is some debate as to whether or not Deputy Chief Carlos Rojas would become the interim Chief during a national search to replace Walters.
I reported earlier this weekend that Mayor Miguel Pulido and the rest of Santa Ana City Council had taken away the interim label from City Manager Paul Walters, and that he will also continue to serve as our Chief of Police. However I received a call from a city hall insider later today that turned this story on its head.
As I now understand it, the City Council is split on this and some of the Council Member still want to engage in a national search for a new City Manager. Apparently there are some forces at the SAPD that also want to move on with appointing a new Chief of Police, in Deputy Chief Carlos Rojas. However that too has become a divisive matter as there are some at city hall who want to engage in a national search for a new Chief of Police and others who want Walters to continue to serve in that capacity. Their argument is that the SAPD will lose a lot of clout if Walters is replaced as Chief of Police by Rojas.
Walters would appear to have earned a shot at serving as our permanent City Manager. He has done a great job thus far in an interim capacity – pulling the city back from the brink of financial disaster. His key achievement so far has been to outsource the Santa Ana Fire Department to the O.C. Fire Authority without losing any firemen or closing any fire stations – saving the city millions in the process.
However some of the veterans in the former Santa Ana Fire Department are quite sore about what happened to them. And many members of the SEIU are royally pissed off because they feel that Walters has protected the SAPD from cuts. There are some who want to see the SAPD outsourced to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. I don’t see that happening but if the city ends up needing to come up with more money to resolve their budget deficit, that option should be explored.
Why did this story float to the surface? I am told that Mayor Pulido is trying to come up with enough votes on the Council to get Walters confirmed on a permanent basis. However he is having a tough time coming up with enough votes. This matter may have to wait until after the June 5 Open Primary. It may linger on after that, from what I am told. And the November general election could see a change in the composition of the City Council. Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez apparently will run and challenge her opponents to take her to court if they want to remove her from the ballot, as some argue that she is termed out. And Council Member Carlos Bustamante will likely face at least one challenger in the form of his fellow Republican, Charles Hart.
Stay tuned as this story continues to develop.
“The fact is, he has done a great job”……. Hmmmmm
Sure he did 250K pension for each job = 500K retirement soon.
The only thing I do not understand are the hours on the job 8 as chief 8 as manager is he getting overtime too?
It was and is scam from beginning.
Cool. And the fact that he will have to take his marching orders directly from Sean Mill is brilliant.
I should add that any reasonable person knows that it is virtually impossible to perform in the capacity of Police Chief and City Manager simultaneously in the City of Santa Ana size.
Something most give!
That something is called a catalytic force which will trigger major scandal investigation into Santa Ana government similar to Bell.
Paul Walters and Miguel Pulido are not really IQ bright individuals, however, their constituency is gravely IQ deprived and that includes the rest of the council which is enabling for this to happen — unchallenged.
Therefore, no one will burn their buns to object, not even you admin, until a catalytic force emerges and then you will see the avalanche effect.
The history teaches us that it always does it always will happen the only question is when.
I bet that by the next presidential election 2016 (within 4 years or sooner) Walters or Pulido or both will be arrested and prosecuted as was sheriff Carona.
Why?…. Every politician or a strong man will violate basic rules of nature’s balance and will start believing that these rules do not apply to him.
It is called drowning in your own power when you are no longer capable of a basic conscientiousness.
Even Niccolò Machiavelli 1469-1527 Italian political theorist and a father of the modern politic was jailed for his “The Prince” (1513) describing the achievement and maintenance of power by a determined ruler indifferent to moral considerations.
I wish I could but I honestly can’t besauce I’ve not seen him in person. I’ve chatted with those that have and the mantra of taking better routes keeps coming up, which leads me to believe that he’s trying to use his arm strength to compensate.
We are about to have that catalytic event of biblical proportions Fiala. Jesus Christ vs. Machiavelli! or will it all be just an orchestrated put on?
I’d like to see the guy on the left in this photo made city manager! Sean would really get this city whipped into shape in a hurry!
“Jesus Christ vs. Machiavelli!”……. Hmmmmmm
Main reason why the artists are what they are is their quirkiness.
Vincent Willem van Gogh cut off his ear when he was unhappy with his artistry crapola.
Now is your term mateo.
“Sean would really get this city whipped into shape in a hurry!”…… Hmmmmmmm
Perhaps that is a main reason why he is not a manager!
Sorry for asking the question here Mr/Ms. Admin but I don’t know where else to turn. I got a flyer at my Floral Park home which seems political so I’m asking you about it. Could you please do a post on this subject?
Here’s what the flyer says:
“I want to make sure that you know about an important vote to be taken by the Rancho Santiago College Board tomorrow night. The Board will be dividing the district into seven trustee areas. One of the plans calls for Trustee Dave Chapel to be placed into the same competing area as Trustee Mark McLoughlin. Community leaders in Santa Ana and Orange, the faculty and students believe that this is a terrible plan.
Please email the Board or call and leave a message that demands that the Board select the plan that places Dave and Mark into separate trustee areas. Thank you for voicing your opinion.”
Chapel, Brian Connely, and McLoughlin all live in Floral Park within a few blocks of each other. I’m thrilled that we have 3 of the 7 board members living on my block and wonder who the heck is trying to rock the boat? Another Floral Park neighbor, Mr. Reza used to be on the board. Seems the best and brightest live a stones throw from my house.
I don’t have a problem with three out of seven board members being from Floral Park. There must be 3/7 of the college grads in Santa Ana living in Floral Park so I think this mix best represents the community.
That same picture is at this bar
2513 edinger
Santa Ana 92704
This dirty old illegal gambling bar has the same photo on top of there Vegas style machines