Monterey Park Official’s Ouster Hailed

Once again, the city of Monterey Park is in the limelight, but this time, for all the wrong reasons.

The news reports concerning former City Manager Mark Lewis are devastating. His management style was responsible for demoralizing city employees, and one by one valued employees left, but not for greener pastures as he would have us believe.

Some accepted positions with lower salaries, reduced status, longer commuting distances, etc., because they couldn’t accept conditions at City Hall any longer.

Lewis was paid to serve all the residents of Monterey Park but instead he was only serving one segment of the population.

Wasn’t it shocking to read Councilwoman Judy Chu’s statement (Times, July 28) that Lewis chose only to interview Asian applicants for an assistant city manager position, deliberately discriminating against blacks, Hispanics, women, etc., regardless of background or ability, all under the guise of “affirmative action.”

I am sure that the United States Equal Employment Opportunities Commission will initiate an investigation into this blatant disregard of the law.

Lewis used tax dollars to obtain a legal opinion concerning his hiring and personnel policies. When it turned out to be an unfavorable opinion, he ordered the documents destroyed and did not notify the City Council or supply them with copies.

I for one will not be sorry to see him go.

PHYLLIS RABINS

Monterey Park