Supporters of Santa Ana City Manager Paul Walters are expected to turn out in large numbers at this Monday’s City Council meeting, on Jan. 7, 2013, at 5:45 pm, at the Council Chambers, at 22 Civic Center Plaza, in Santa Ana.
Walters has come under fire as the current Santa Ana City Council majority has decided to come after him even though he saved our city from a budget fiasco last year and is even now our best hope to resolve the State of California’s demand for the return of some $56 million dollars in redevelopment funds.
The Council Members in the majority, which include Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Sal Tinajero, Vince Sarmiento, David Benavides, Michele Martinez and Roman Reyna, have admitted that their attack on Walters is just more revenge against the Mayor, Miguel Pulido, for reasons known only to them.
I am told that Tinajero freaked out when 15 Walters supporters showed up at the closed-door, last minute Council meeting during Christmas week. Imagine how the Council cabal will react when the Chambers are packed with Walters supporters?
Reportedly the Council majority wants to appoint Gerardo Mouet, the Santa Ana Parks and Recreation Agency Director, to replace Walters as City Manager. But does Mouet’s education and experience really make him a better option as City Manager than Walters?
Here is Mouet’s bio, as provided by NALEO: Mr. Gerardo Mouet oversees a City Agency that handles parks, trails, recreation centers, senior centers, a stadium, libraries, and a zoo. He began to work for the City of Santa Ana in 1990 and has held a variety of positions including nine years in Personnel Services, where he worked on the City’s Workforce Diversity Program and the Public Business Academy, two years in the City Manager’s Office as Assistant to the City Manager in operations, two years as Assistant Director for Parks, Recreation, and Community Services and in 2004 as Executive Director for this agency. Mr. Mouet grew up in Tijuana, Mexico, and attended UC San Diego and CSU Long Beach for his graduate studies in Public Administration.
And here is Walter’s city bio:
Chief Walters graduated from Santiago High School in Garden Grove, CA. He attended Orange Coast College before his four-year (1966-1970) tour of duty with the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War. He was nominated for Airman of the Year in 1967.
While raising a family and working full time as a police officer, he attended night school and earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from California State University Fullerton (CSUF), a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Southern California (USC) and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from American College of Law. He is also a graduate of the California Command College Class II and the Senior Management Institute for Police (SMIP) Class IV, Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), Washington D.C.
Wow. Who knew that Walters had a MPA from USC and a doctorate degree as well? Mouet has an MPA too, but it is from CSULB.
Beyond that, Walters led our police department very well for a long time – dropping crime levels to record lows. He even oversaw the construction of our police headquarters and city jail and found ways to make the jail profitable by leasing cells to other public agencies.
Going after Walters has been a new low for the Council majority – and they are clearly doing it now as they won’t have the guts to do this closer to the 2014 elections, when Tinajero, Martinez and Benavides will be up for re-election.
Stand up for Walters this Monday! Let your voice be heard. This Council of bullies needs to be put in their place!
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Will Jill Arthur be on the short list of those hoping to take Paul's place?
If you want Paul and not Jill Arthur than come out and support him Monday.
I think the per capita salary of an individual it's bias. Then, the president of the United States should be paid more. But, look at the overtime Santa PD have gotten in the past while Mr. Walters was the chief in excess of 5million minimum the last few years. But, the entire City in the fiscal cliff. It is time to clean the house and we the tax payers to get more for our money. Hard to understand.... How come none of the management lives in Santa Ana? They come one way and leave on the same street after work too.
Where are you getting your facts? SAPD has gone WITHOUT overtime the past few years and all overtime is earned as comp time. Our association agreed to this in order to help save the city millions of dollars. It was the FIRE department that was cashing out twice as mush at the police department with half the number of employees!
Doesn't Walters forgo a second salary for the second job (City Manager and Police Chief)?
If so, we should add the two when coparing to other cities.
Not to mention the fact that he has brought millions of dollars of federal and state grants to our city.
Paul Walters is NOT the chief of police, Carlos Rojas is the acting Chief and Walters it the police commissioner which is not a paid position. He does that job in addition to that of the city manager and is not compensated for it. Let his record stand on it's own merit. The previous city manager, Dave Ream, created this so called "fiscal cliff" that Mr. Walters saved us from along with many jobs of good faithful employees that serve the citizens of Santa Ana. I don't understand why is being targeted this way for doing a great job as our city manager. Originally, yes, he was an interim city manager but was made officially the city manager and has been doing a great job ever since. I hope that the new council members Reyna and Amezcua will not simply jump on the band wagon of the other council members but make informed decisions based on performance rather than out of fear of going against a few council members who have something in for the Mayor and feel that taking it out on the City Manager is the only way to hurt the mayor.
"…. How come none of the management lives in Santa Ana?"
I imagine that it's the same reason why Dr. Lomeli does not live in Santa Ana.
I don't believe in any of the millions he has brought to Santa Ana..... I don't see it in the streets. I believe the City it's still paying for the Taj Mahal.... The PD headquarters.... I do believe there are others in the department that could o his job too at a cheaper rate and with new ideas
You probably believed that Amezcua and Benavides were going to win too. How did that work out for you?
I do believe management shall live in Santa Ana to understand the people. A clause shall be inserted in their contract and or application. This will select only the people who would really care about the City and make it better living place. Living in Cotto de Caza as the previous city manager does not have anything in common with our City
I overhead some City employees at Starbucks the other day saying.... Remember when Walter came almost at crying point asking for our help to balance the budget and asking for sacrifices..... Have you seen him again coming back to at least acknowledge our sacrifices? And admitting that management did not gave a penny in the worst fiscal and most precarious the City had faced...... I wonder now, who is running our city
Have any of you acknowledged that Walters pulled the city out of a budget hole that the Council created?
I know some managers / dept heads who live in the city. You should check your facts "yankee"
I had spoken at a council meeting on the way the top management salaries and perks were set and the amount given in the contracts.
During the council discussions I learned that the top management gave back step raises and cola's etc. You should check your facts "Callisto"
All cops shall dress as civilians and show up in full force to support Walters....or else, there goes my OT.....
looks like that part of agenda will not happen tonight
I didn't expect it to happen until the next meeting but a strong showing by Walters' supporters will send a message to our out of control Council.