California in Brief : SAN DIEGO : City Manager to Retire in March

City Manager John Lockwood, who rose from mail clerk to the city’s top administrator, said he will retire March 9, the day before he turns 60. After 37 years in city government, Lockwood became city manager in October, 1986, after the forced resignation of Sylvester Murray, a nationally recognized administrator who clashed with the City Council. As a top administrator, Lockwood earned $126,372 annually and directed 9,000 employees and a $1.2-billion budget. One of Lockwood’s top achievements was a major “customer service” effort in 1988 to improve contact with the public. The program cut red tape in the Building Inspection Department and put uniforms on Balboa Park employees.