Fire Chief Will Take Over as Interim County Administrator

Orange County Fire Chief Larry Holms was selected Wednesday to take over the duties of county administrative officer until someone is named to fill the county’s top administrative post.

The Board of Supervisors took the action in anticipation of the Feb. 7 retirement of Robert Thomas, who has had the job for 18 years. The supervisors specified that Holms is not a candidate for the position.

An executive recruiting firm has been retained to conduct a nationwide search, and a number of top-level managers within the county are vying for the position, which can pay as much as $96,720 a year.

Holms will receive an annual salary of $62,878 when he takes over as interim administrator on Feb. 1. Thomas receives $78,520 a year.

In their annual reorganization, Saddleback Community College District board members elected veteran trustee William Watts, a Tustin school principal, as president, succeeding Harriett Walther. Robert Moore of Irvine was selected vice president.

Susan Jones, who served two years with the Mid-America chapter of the American Red Cross, has been appointed director of the South Orange County Office of the Red Cross. Jones, now of Laguna Hills, said she wants to build community awareness of the Red Cross in the area and increase volunteer activity.

Two Santa Ana businessmen have been named to the Community Airport Council board of directors. They are Eugene H. Morarity, vice president of the Segerstrom Center, and Leland Oliver, president of the Leland Oliver public relations firm. The airport council was formed in 1974 to support efforts to improve air transportation and facilities in Orange County.

Detective Lou Lopez of the Anaheim Police Department is the new president of the Latino Peace Officers Assn., a statewide group. Other new officers for 1985 include Rudy Sanchez of the Santa Fe Railroad, vice president; Joe Perez of the Orange County Probation Department, treasurer; Chuck Page, also of the Orange County Probation Department, secretary, and Robin Rodarte of the Santa Ana Police Department, sergeant-at-arms.