Blair Is Named Interim Manager for Escondido

Ray Blair, San Diego city manager until he retired in 1985, will run the city of Escondido until a permanent city manager is chosen.

Blair replaces Vern Hazen, who resigned last week under pressure from the slow-growth majority on the Escondido City Council. Blair was chosen after a council executive session Wednesday night.

Escondido will pay Blair $5,000 a month as interim manager, and he will start work this weekend, attending a workshop on growth management in Laguna Beach with council members Carla DeDominicis and Jerry Harmon, and top Escondido staffers.

Blair, 63, operates a private management consulting firm in San Diego. He served as San Diego city manager from 1978 until his retirement and had been a deputy city manager and assistant city manager in San Diego since 1969.

Hazen will remain as a consultant with the city of Escondido, drawing his $95,000-a-year salary, until his employment contract ends in August.

Escondido Mayor Doris Thurston said that Blair will not be a candidate for the permanent city manager’s post. The council plans to hire an executive-search firm to conduct a nationwide search for the city’s next permanent city administrator.

Blair said he has been offered other chances to serve as interim city manager but has turned them down. He said he called Escondido officials to apply for the post when he heard of the vacancy.