Should the Santa Ana City Council hire Paul Walters as the new City Manager?

[poll id=”6″]

We broke the story that the Santa Ana City Council suspended the search for a new City Manager, and today the O.C. Register followed up with a new article indicating that SAPD Police Chief Paul Walters, who has been serving as the Interim Santa Ana City Manager, now wants to be considered as an applicant for the job on a permanent basis.

Santa Ana Council Member Michele Martinez told the Register that more than fifty candidates have applied for the City Manager job.  That is not surprising.  Santa Ana is the Orange County seat and the city has a lot going for it.

I don’t know who all those candidates are but I would imagine that Santa Ana Parks and Recreation Agency Director Gerardo Mouet and perhaps Santa Ana Public Works Director Raul Godinez II are among them.  Either one of them would be a fine City Manager.

But what about Walters?

Some civil Libertarians in town don’t like him, but he has had no choice with regard to enforcing the law with regard to drugs.  That is his job as Chief of Police.

Walters did a great job building our SAPD headquarters and the City Jail a few years ago.  He is a whiz at doing a lot with very little, as far as budgets to.  He has great connections in D.C. – in fact he received an award from President Barack Obama.

But Walters has never been a City Manager before – and that is something that will weigh heavily on the Santa Ana Council Members.  Many of them are close to Walters, particularly Mayor Miguel Pulido, Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez and Council Member Carlos Bustamante.  Technically they would only need one more vote to give the City Manager job to Walters.

Would that be the end of the world?  Probably not.  I don’t think Walters would keep the job for too long – five years at most in my opinion.

What do you think?  Be sure to vote in the poll above – please weigh in and use the comments to let us know who you think our next City Manager should be.

Art Pedroza Editor
Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.
Art Pedroza

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

View Comments

  • -------- Original Message --------
    Subject: Re: Stanislav Fiala is asking: What about the Fullerton?
    Date: Wed, 03 Aug 2011 18:08:37 -0700
    From: Standa
    To: Walters, Paul
    CC: Pulido, Miguel , Benavides, David , Martinez, Michele , Alvarez, Claudia , Bustamante, Carlos , Tinajero, Sal , Sarmiento, Vincent , Harrelson, Anthony , McGeachy, Douglas

    Hi Paul,

    Strong Man of Santa Ana

    I have spent great amount of time to try to explaining to you a concept
    of police brutality and police state. Obviously, base on your handling
    of Susie Youn Kim murder in the hands of your goons it is clear that you
    have no clue about the public policing. I have said many time that the
    Susie incident couldn't happen in the old communist Czechoslovakia
    during the time I have reside there 1946 to 1968.

    Therefore, you are more brutal than the communists were! ..... or the
    Bohemia Protector Heydrich http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giddlQR7QTQ

    What do you think about the Fullerton incident..... Huh?

    That is what happens when you do not listen to Stanislaw Fiala.

    How about to amend your brutality manual to fit the peaceful KGB
    procedures.

    If you need some help just ask, I still remember most of it and it could
    make SAPD more human organization or;

    The usual SAPD steak tartare of the suspect face.

    -Stan

    PS. In the light of the Fullerton incident I feel obligated to ask US
    Department of Justice to reopen investigation into the Susie incident.
    If you want a copy of it just ask!.

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