Hickey Quits to Work for Florida City : County: As one of his final actions, the chief adminstrative officer temporarily removes the embattled director of the Social Services Department.

San Diego County’s top executive, Norman W. Hickey, announced his resignation Monday, and in a last managerial decision removed embattled Richard W. Jacobsen Jr. as director of the county Social Services Department.

Hickey’s resignation was expected because the city council in St. Petersburg, Fla., offered him the city manager’s post last Tuesday. On Monday, Hickey, 64, informed the Board of Supervisors that he had accepted the Florida job, which will pay him $100,000 a year. Hickey, who worked for the county for six years, was most recently paid $134,000 annually as San Diego County’s chief administrative officer.

The exact date of Hickey’s departure is not known but is expected to be discussed today at the Board of Supervisors meeting. He is expected to assume his new post May 4.

Supervisors also are expected to discuss a successor for Hickey at today’s meeting. Assistant CAO David Janssen is a favorite to succeed Hickey. Both Hickey and Supervisor George Bailey on Monday expressed support for Janssen.

Jacobsen’s removal as director of the Department of Social Services was not unexpected either. Last Wednesday, one day after Hickey returned from a Florida job interview, the County Grand Jury released a damning report alleging widespread corruption and fraud in the Social Services Department.

Without mentioning his name, the report laid much of the blame for the department’s problems on policies instituted by Jacobsen and his administrative staff. The report painted a picture of indifference to employee and welfare-recipient fraud fostered by a management staff that is more interested in protecting the department’s image than in prosecuting employees and welfare clients responsible for fraud.

Jacobsen was reportedly meeting with Hickey and Janssen late Monday afternoon and could not be reached for comment about his removal as head of the department. Last week, he denied the allegations of corruption and fraud raised in the Grand Jury report.

In a statement released Monday by Hickey’s office, county chief probation officer Cecil H. Steppe was named as Jacobsen’s replacement on an interim basis. Steppe, 59, will become social services director for 90 days “while a department review is conducted,” according to Hickey’s written statement.

Meanwhile, Hickey said, Jacobsen will join his CAO staff, where he will assist in the “preparation of a response to questions raised” in last week’s Grand Jury report. Jacobsen also is expected to “handle other administrative duties,” the statement said.

Only Hickey could remove Jacobsen from his post. Although the Grand Jury report irked several supervisors, the board does not have the authority to remove or fire Jacobsen.

Hickey did not return phone calls to his office for comment on his new job, and the decision to remove Jacobsen as director of the Social Services Department. But the statement released late Monday on Hickey’s behalf by county spokesman Bob Lerner quoted him as saying that additional time is needed to study operations at the Social Services Department.

“We need to devote considerable time and effort to examine a clearly complex situation, and not to jump to any irrational conclusions,” Hickey said in the statement.

It was not known Monday if Jacobsen will be allowed to return to his old post following the 90-day review or if his days as social services director and with the county are over.

Steppe will be succeeded as chief probation officer by Gerard A. Williams. Williams, a former assistant chief probation officer, was called out of retirement to head the Probation Department. He retired in March after 35 years with the department.

As county chief adminstrative officer, Hickey supervised a work force of 17,000 employees and oversaw a budget of nearly $2 billion. At a Monday morning press conference, Hickey said he was leaving with regret but also noted that his tenure in the county was marked by endless fiscal problems and frustrating budget shortfalls.

“Over the past six years, our county has experienced tremendous growth, and with that growth has come an enormous burden and strain on our ability to deliver services. Although this effort was exacerbated by seemingly endless fiscal obstacles, we were able to significantly and satisfactorily deal with many serious challenges,” said a written statement released by Hickey.

His departure also was due in part to his failure to reach agreement with the county on a controversial employment contract that would allow him to be vested in the county’s pension plan. Hickey wanted to remain as CAO until January, 1993, when he would step down, but remain as a $26-a-year special employee for three years.

That arrangement would have given Hickey the 10 years of service he needs to be vested. Instead, the Board of Supervisors had offered him a new two-year contract, which Hickey rejected in favor of the St. Petersburg post, where he is expected to receive several fringe benefits, including deferred payments on his salary and retirement benefits.