Hawkey Attempts to Douse Flames of Controversy

City Manager Philip Hawkey, whose selection over two black finalists ignited opposition from the city’s minority community in April, is trying to dampen those flames.

In his first week on the job last week, the former Toledo, Ohio, city manager, who Monday replaced retiring 17-year City Manager Donald McIntyre:

* Met with the Police Department’s Citizens Advisory Group, a 13-member, predominantly minority committee.

* Talked individually with city directors, including the three who voted against giving him the job.

* Planned to attend services at the city’s oldest black church, the First African Methodist Episcopal Church.

* Scheduled appointments with the Northwest Task Force and the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance.

“I’m trying to get to know the community as a whole . . . even those who were concerned about my appointment,” Hawkey said. “We do need to work together.”

Meanwhile, some who had opposed him appeared to be taking a wait-and-see attitude.

“The ball’s in his court,” said Isaac Richards, a black activist who spoke forcefully against Hawkey in an April 24 public hearing. “If he goes out of his way to atone for whatever past mistakes he made in Toledo, it will be difficult to harbor ideas against him.”

City Director Chris Holden, who voted against offering Hawkey the city manager’s post, said the new city manager has shown “a willingness to want to make a difference.”

“I’m prepared to support him in this effort,” said Holden, the city’s only black director. But Holden cautioned, “You can meet with a lot of people, but the bottom line is performance.”

Many in the city’s minority community will be watching Hawkey’s performance on issues that have long been important to them.

Months before Hawkey was named as a finalist, controversy erupted over the failure of the city to implement a five-year, $35-million improvement plan for Northwest Pasadena, the city’s largest minority neighborhood.

The resignation, firing and demotion of several black city administrators also prompted allegations of racism and sexism. A $100,000 study released in May by the Los Angeles consulting firm PeopleWorks concluded that some city practices resulted in unfair treatment of minorities.

Hawkey, 43, was perceived by some as a poor choice to address such concerns because of his record during his four years in Toledo.

Black activists there criticized him for allowing police officers to randomly stop black men on city streets as an anti-gang measure and for firing Bernard Pete Culp, the black commissioner of renewal operations, amid allegations of mismanagement.

The Ohio Civil Rights Commission has since found probable cause that Culp was discriminated against because he was fired without the opportunity to take a demotion. The commission is negotiating with Toledo officials to resolve the issue, said Francis Smith, chief of administration for the commission in Columbus, Ohio.

In his first week in Pasadena, Hawkey adopted what he called “an immediate agenda” that includes many minority concerns. He said he plans to take action on human services, Northwest Pasadena, affirmative action and staff vacancies, including the high-level posts of assistant city manager and police chief.

Meanwhile, a recall campaign against Director John Crowley, who voted for Hawkey, continues, said attorney Joe Hopkins. Recall supporters expect City Atty. Victor Kaleta to finish reviewing petition forms this week, and will begin collecting signatures after that.

And city directors, who split 4 to 3 in their vote for Hawkey, appear to be continuing that split.

At Tuesday’s board meeting, Directors William Thomson and Kathryn Nack refused to approve Richards’ appointment to the city’s Resource Allocation Committee. Richards was nominated for the post by Director Rick Cole, one of those who opposed Hawkey’s appointment.

Nack contended that Richards’ comments about the Hawkey selection during the April 24 board meeting had “denoted violence” against the board members. Thomson said Richards called the board members racist.

A videotape of that meeting showed an angry Richards saying the board’s vote for Hawkey was motivated by racism. He also pledged to make Hawkey’s life “as miserable as possible on a daily basis” should Hawkey accept the job. No threats of violence were made.

Richards was appointed to the committee on a 4-2 vote.