Artesia Council Finds Successor for Shuster

Paul J. Philips, former city manager of Lawndale and South El Monte, has been selected as the new city manager by the five-member City Council.

Philips, 39, replaces interim City Manager Jerry Shuster, who had asked the council to find a permanent chief administrator. Shuster, a retired finance director from Arcadia, had been named interim city manager last November after Lois O’Sullivan resigned. Shuster, 59, said he took the job with the understanding that he would only be there for a short time.

In late February, Shuster asked the council to start a more vigorous search because he was leaving in 30 days. Shuster was persuaded to remain at least another 60 days.

Mayor Dennis Fellows said Philips was chosen from three candidates interviewed by the council. Philips, who has been a planning and governmental relations consultant for the cities of Bell Gardens and Lomita, will be paid $60,000 a year.

Philips was hired in 1973 as the planning director for the city of South El Monte, where he served as city manager from 1979 to 1981. He was the city manager of Lawndale from 1983 to 1988. Philips has also served as city manager of Lowell, Ore. He was an assistant city manager and executive director for redevelopment for Hawaiian Gardens.

He was born in Anaheim and lives in Manhattan Beach. He has a government degree from Chapman College in Orange and has done postgraduate work in public administration at Whittier College.

Before Shuster became interim city manager, he served briefly as the city’s financial consultant. He was named interim city manager when O’Sullivan unexpectedly resigned, saying she wanted to move to a more rural environment. O’Sullivan was the first woman in the area to hold the position of city manager.