Interim City Manager Vasquez Given Permanent Slot

Following a two-month tenure as the interim city manager, William Vasquez has been given the job permanently.

The City Council appointed Vasquez as interim city manager in March during a flurry of administrative shuffling. He has since been given high marks by officials in politically charged City Hall.

“In the short time he’s been here, he’s done so much to restore the calm and bring this place back together,” Councilman George Deitch said.

“This city is an extremely big challenge, and I think he is very capable of doing a great job.”

Vasquez, 46, who had been redevelopment project manager for the city of Riverside, will be paid $102,000 a year.

When he came to Bell Gardens in March, Vasquez emphasized that the city manager’s job is not a political position and said that his background in the Latino community would allow him to lend expertise to a lot of issues facing the city.

Bell Gardens is close to 90% Latino and in March elected its first Latino majority to the City Council after voters recalled four Anglo council members last December.

“I have always had the sense that I want to serve the Hispanic community” said Vasquez, a third-generation Mexican-American. “To come into a city, especially one that is in transition like Bell Gardens, is very exciting.”

Vasquez has headed various departments in the city of Bell, including community development and administrative services. He has also worked in the cities of Anaheim, Alhambra, Orange and Palm Springs.

The council has made four top-level management changes since taking office. In addition to hiring a new city manager, it has replaced the city clerk, city attorney and police chief.