Compton : Fired Redevelopment Chief Back at Work in City Job

Two years after he was removed from his job as Compton redevelopment director, Laurence H. Adams is back at work in City Hall as a special assistant to City Manager Howard Caldwell.

The city Personnel Commission ruled in July that Adams had tenure as a Civil Service employee and that there was no cause for his firing. Adams came back to work last week, although he is reportedly still negotiating a settlement with the city that is expected to give him more than $100,000 in back pay.

As redevelopment director, Adams, 34, earned $64,500 a year. In his new post, he will earn $54,480 a year.

Former City Manager James Goins, who was fired by the City Council eight months later, removed Adams from his redevelopment job in October, 1988. Goins claimed that Adams’ performance was not adequate and that Adams had solicited contributions from developers for charitable groups on whose board of directors he sat.

Adams, 34, is the son of former Councilman Robert Adams, who was defeated in his reelection bid last year.

As a special assistant to the city manager, Adams said he will be involved in short-term and long-term economic planning for the city, which has had a difficult time financially and laid off people last year. Adams said he is delighted to be back working for the city.