Look no Further
Look no further than Paul Walters for Santa Ana City Manager.
For starters, this one is a complete no-brainer. I’ll begin by asking everyone, what companies can you name that don’t promote people in house? Let’s say that a nationwide search is conducted for the purpose of finding a suitable person for this specific job. Doesn’t it take someone who knows the city already? Who can truly look themselves in the mirror and say that there is a better person for this specific job?
So you think you know Santa Ana so well that you have a better option for city manager? Locally? Nationwide? Then let’s see what names there are by putting them down here in a comment. Then we can get down to comparisons.
Crime plummeted in Santa Ana with Walters as police chief. These new-comer council persons and their new-comer friends that they want to put on commissions don’t have the first clue about how bad crime was before they got here or elected. But I do know because I’ve been here all of my life. I’ve heard gunfire stop. I’ve sean graffiti stamped out.
Is this a blanket defense of the entire SAPD? Absolutely not. I’ve also seen negatives coming from certain SAPD types and we can get into that too. Is it a stretch to have individual cops be a reflection of their chief? Yes.
For anyone that observes Santa Ana politics this is a pattern to be expected. Benavides goes on record to say that Pulido is going to have a difficult time as reelected mayor. Well Benavides failed to read the writing on the wall. The city made its choice for leader and Benavides is having a terrible time processing this fact and instead is acting against the popular will. Not smart. The same goes for those in council that “think” like him. Their attempt to remove Paul Walters from the position of City Manager is a pathetic and very obvious political move to try to take power in Santa Ana, power not allowed to them by the popular vote.
You have to wonder what qualified candidate would take the city manager’s job given the circumstances if Walters is fired. By the comments of those council members who have spoken publicly, no one has said they are displeased with Walter’s abilities. They merely want weaken Pulido’s ability to influence staff. Thus, qualified candidates will merely bypass an opportunity to work for a group of individuals that comes across as vindictive and petty.
Furthermore, the council needs to evaluate how they will be viewed by their peers across the county. During the January 4th council meeting, one gentleman commented how the former mayor of Huntington Beach had ask him “what is going in Santa Ana” in reference to what he has read about actions taken against Walters who is highly respected amongst county political and business leaders. Council members who represent Santa Ana in various regional boards stand to lose some clout and respect from this action.
That’s what is so incongruent and non-sensical, to me, about their decision to evaluate Walters, and prematurely mind you. Walters is up for evaluation months from now according to the Santa Ana Register but they’re making his removal an issue now. To me it seems that this is political posturing to make themselves look good in the eyes of their supporters and Pulido detractors.
They voted Walters in unanimously not long ago and now they want to abruptly fire him? What I see is that this council thought that they’d win the mayor’s seat and keep Walters, so long as Benavides were mayor, and because he isn’t now they want to fire him. It’s sour grapes.
The council members worry so much about Pulido’s influence and yet fail to comprehend that he is this city’s elected leader and I’m certain that city staff comprehends this.
I think you’re right about them losing clout and respect countywide but I think it could cost them more dearly, should enough Santa Ana residents force a recall of certain council members.
Regarding your comments about Pulido’s ability to influence staff, I also believe he has garnered their respect from his past accomplishments (like facilitating the relocation of OCHSA to Santa Ana) as well as ability to effectively articulating his vision (like effort to bring the ‘Fixed Guideway Transit System’). If council members want their ideas to be considered and vetted through the city staff, what prevents them from putting those ideas on the council agenda and getting the majority consensus to direct staff accordingly. At that point if staff fails to deliver, then you have the facts and data to make changes.
As far as your original question regarding the requirements for Santa Ana city manager position, I would like that individual have a demonstrated background in economic development. Does this qualification however outweigh this individual knowledge and familiarity with the city {strengths, weaknesses, opportunities constraints, and issues}? Absolutely not! This city is very unique and requires someone who knows how to get things done given its environment and position within the region.
It is unfortunate that the city manager’s position has been politicized, because their are some legitimate question regarding the city’s future. Recognizing the great accomplishments that have already been made, what is needed at the city manager’s position to get Santa Ana to the next level? Those question should have been addressed months ago when the interim tag was taken off Walter’s as well as the criteria for how he should be measured.
Absolutely. Exactly. The council says that they want to be sure that Walters’ vision aligns with theirs, but what exactly is theirs? They sure didn’t campaign on any specific and concrete ideas or proposals other than “changing the culture of city hall.” That’s a euphemism for kicking Pulido out, but the majority of voters were loud and clear about who the leader is.
It will be interesting at Jan 21 council meeting and kinda sad as well to perhaps see Santa Ana take few steps backward after many years of going forward.
I expect the council members to be sensible and not fire him.