Carson Appoints Smith to Administrator Post

After carrying out responsibilities of the position for two months, Jack R. Smith was appointed Carson city administrator Tuesday, nearly six months after the post was vacated by the retirement of City Administrator Richard Gunnarson.

Smith, 55, has been interim city administrator since Sept. 21 when he replaced William McKown, who had been Gunnarson’s deputy city administrator and had occupied the interim position after Gunnarson left in July. McKown vacated the post after city officials, citing several management problems, failed to renew his 1-year contract.

Before coming to Carson as interim administrator, Smith was city manager of Cathedral City, which is southeast of Palm Springs, from 1982 until he left in August. Smith was also county manager of Coconino County, Ariz.

Smith described his two months as acting city administrator as hectic, saying he did not have a deputy city administrator nor a Personnel Department director to assist him.

“My main goal as acting city administrator was to just keep the ship afloat,” Smith said.

He said the city is looking for a personnel director--Jack Prindeville retired in September--and will start recruiting a deputy city administrator before the end of the year.

Appointed by the City Council during a closed session, Smith has agreed to a 2-year contract beginning Dec.1. He is expected to earn $7,000 a month, the same as he was paid as interim city administrator.

Smith has a degree in political science from Cal State Long Beach, and a master’s degree in management from the University of Redlands.

He has been a board member for the National Assn. of County Administrators, president of the Arizona Assn. of County Administrators and chairman of the managers subcommittee of the Coachella Valley Assn. of Governments.