Officials Differ on City Manager Pick

The controversial city manager of Toledo, Ohio, may be named today as Anaheim’s city manager, Mayor Fred Hunter said Thursday. But other council members said the job could go to the current assistant city manager.

Hunter said the City Council decided in a closed meeting Saturday to offer the job to Philip Hawkey, 43, and he said the announcement would be made about 1 p.m. today.

“I’m going to push for Hawkey,” Hunter said. “I think he’s our man.”

But Councilman Irv Pickler denied that a decision had been reached Saturday. He said the council members had narrowed the candidates to Hawkey and Jim Ruth, Anaheim’s assistant city manager.

“I don’t know why he’s saying all these things,” Pickler said of Hunter. “He’s putting himself out on a limb.”

Toledo Mayor John McHugh announced Thursday that the city would fire Hawkey effective May 15, according to United Press International.

In July, 1988, Hawkey was at the center of racial tensions in the city when he fired a black city administrator and suspended two other blacks suspected of fiscal mismanagement in the city’s community development department, the Toledo Blade reported.

In addition, Hawkey reportedly angered Toledo City Council members earlier this year by failing to keep them informed of some spending matters.

The City Council will meet at noon today at City Hall.

“At about 1 in the afternoon, (Anaheim residents) may be hearing an interesting announcement,” said Councilman William D. Ehrle. “It’s come down to a couple of finalists and we’re focusing on that.”

Pickler said that both Hawkey and Ruth “are still in the running.”

“I don’t go along with what Mayor Hunter says,” Pickler said. “I’m hoping that collectively we can make a unanimous decision on a city manager with a 5-0 vote. But I get the impression that’s going to be hard to do.’

But Hunter insisted Pickler was wrong about the results of Saturday’s meeting.

“We had a consensus. Now some people are changing their minds. Apparently they are being influenced.”

Hawkey and his wife Dena currently are visiting Anaheim, but Hawkey refused to comment.

The Blade also reported that Hawkey has been seeking other managerial jobs, including the post of county manager of Phoenix.

Council members have repeatedly said they want unanimous approval of the new city manager, who receives more than $100,000 annually.

State Sen. John Seymour, (R-Anaheim) a former Anaheim mayor, has encouraged the council to select a candidate from California, preferably someone from the city.

“I think that with all the challenges and problems the city has, that they probably would be better served if they elected somebody from California,” Seymour said.

Council members have indicated that they would make some sort of announcement about the position because of growing rumors in recent weeks. They also have indicated they want to make an announcement before Pickler leaves for a 10-day trip Monday, said Barbara Burke, a spokeswoman for the city.

The city’s nationwide search for a new city manager attracted 40 applicants.

City Manager Bob Simpson is scheduled to retire May 1. The former Anaheim fire chief became city manager in December, 1987. He announced his plans to leave the post last October.