HUNTINGTON BEACH : City Administrator to Get an Assistant

As part of City Administrator Michael T. Uberuaga’s reorganization of his office, an administrative position is being added to the city’s upper-management team.

An assistant city administrator position is being created to help the chief executive coordinate and monitor city programs and projects. The new assistant administrator, to be hired by December, also will act as city administrator if Uberuaga is absent or otherwise unavailable.

Uberuaga said the new post will improve city management by freeing him from many internal chores so that he can concentrate on major policy issues, managing the budget and working with the City Council, department managers, the community and other governmental agencies.

Council members this week said they strongly support the realignment, the latest in a series of sweeping changes Uberuaga has imposed since taking over as city administrator in February.

The assistant city administrator will be paid $67,000 in salary and benefits during the 1990-91 fiscal year, according to a report prepared by Uberuaga’s office. The money will come from $90,000 the city is scheduled to receive this year from the developer of the planned Bolsa Chica housing project as reimbursement for Deputy City Administrator Jim Palin’s work on the project.

The assistant city administrator position will replace Palin’s job, which also includes acting as zoning administrator, when Palin retires in June, 1991.

Palin is one of four deputy city administrators assigned to specific managerial duties. None of the other three positions will change with the staff reorganization.

In recent years, Palin has been devoted mainly to planning the Bolsa Chica development. The new administrator’s duties will include overseeing the new pier’s design, the water-saving plan and the Huntington Central Library expansion.

Recruiting of candidates will start next month.