Mission Viejo Hires Talley : Ex-City Manager Now Working for New City

Former Anaheim City Manager William O. Talley, who was ousted last July, will become acting city manager of Mission Viejo when it becomes the county’s 27th city March 31.

In the meantime, Talley is serving as a management consultant to the Mission Viejo city council-elect, helping to prepare the community for cityhood.

“I thought the idea of buying into 30 years of experience and applying it would be a great challenge,” Talley said Friday.

Talley, 55, was fired on a 3-2 vote after 11 years on the job in Anaheim. That decision came two months after the election of two councilmen who were displeased with Talley’s management style and his handling of lawsuits involving the city.

Talley, who was paid $101,700 a year at the time of his departure, was reportedly the highest-paid city manager in the county at the time.

Others Will Be Interviewed

Talley will receive $15,000 for his incorporation consulting job. He will be paid $7,100 a month as acting city manager from April 1 to Sept. 30. He hopes to renegotiate a contract with the council at the end of that period.

Council members-elect said they chose Talley because of his financial and administrative expertise. They said that in September, however, they intend to interview other applicants for the permanent position.

Among Talley’s first tasks will be recruitment of employees for such jobs as city clerk, finance director, planning director and city engineer.

Several others sought the acting city manager job. Among them were former Santa Ana City Manager A.J. Wilson, former Costa Mesa city manager and current El Segundo interim City Manager Fred Sorsabal, and Orange City Manager J. William Little.

The council-elect also has hired former Rep. Jerry M. Patterson as city attorney. Patterson is with the law firm of Burke, Williams & Sorensen.