Wittenberg Could Be a Contender for L.A. Job : Government: The administrator is ‘happy where I am.’ But a Los Angeles County supervisor invites him to apply for the executive post.

Ventura County Chief Administrative Officer Richard Wittenberg would be a prime candidate for top executive in Los Angeles County if he applies when that job opens up later this year, a Los Angeles County supervisor said Wednesday.

Wittenberg, 52, was a finalist for the Los Angeles post in 1985. And Los Angeles County Supervisor Ed Edelman said he would like to see the veteran administrator apply again.

“I certainly supported him before, and I would encourage him to come in,” Edelman said. “He had the qualifications last time, so if he applied he would certainly be a strong contender. But first he has to see if he’s interested.”

Edelman said that he and Wittenberg have not spoken about the Los Angeles job since embattled chief executive Richard B. Dixon announced his resignation Tuesday.

A majority of supervisors said they were preparing to begin a nationwide search for a successor to run the largest local government in the country.

Wittenberg would not say whether he is interested in the job or if he plans to apply for it. “I’m very happy where I am, and let’s just leave it at that,” he said.

He added, however, that he applied for the Los Angeles job in 1985 because “it was an incredibly interesting challenge. It’s probably the No.1 position in my profession in the United States.”

Wittenberg’s contract with Ventura County has six years left, but county lawyers said he may resign after giving a four-month notice.

Ventura County supervisors last year extended Wittenberg’s contract to June, 1998, after several public agencies expressed interest in hiring him away.

Supervisors said the extension of the $123,600-a-year contract--which would not have expired until 1994--was intended to discourage other agencies from poaching.

Wittenberg, who became the county’s top executive and the board’s chief adviser in 1979, was asked last year to apply for the top administrator’s position in Santa Barbara County and at the California State Assn. of Counties.

Before that, he was solicited by Riverside and San Diego counties, supervisors said.

Wittenberg was president of the state county executives’ association in 1987, and several of his peers have said in interviews that he is among the top five county administrators in the state.

A former county lobbyist in Sacramento, he regularly represents California counties before the Legislature.

Board members expressed dismay Wednesday at the possibility of losing the veteran administrator.

“Los Angeles County better not ask him to apply,” Supervisor Maggie Kildee said.

Supervisor Maria E. VanderKolk said, “We love him here and would hate to see him go. And I wouldn’t wish that Los Angeles job on anybody, especially Richard.”

Wittenberg is considered particularly astute as a mediator of board disputes. And he is credited with providing a strong plan to maintain public services during a decade of funding cuts that have led other counties to the brink of bankruptcy.

His challenges in Los Angeles County would be magnified. Ventura County has 6,900 employees and a $788-million annual budget. Los Angeles County has 85,000 workers and a $13-billion budget.

But the Los Angeles job is more lucrative. Retiring executive Dixon makes $175,000 a year, $51,000 more than Wittenberg. And Dixon’s $25,000 benefits package is better than Wittenberg’s.

Dixon is driven to work in a chauffeured luxury car with bulletproof windows. Wittenberg drives his own 1983 Ford to work.

But if he were to apply, Wittenberg’s chances for the Los Angeles job are uncertain.

He was Edelman’s choice in 1985. But the board’s conservative, Republican majority chose a dark horse from their own party instead. Two years later, when the job opened up again, Wittenberg declined an invitation to be interviewed.

Now the Los Angeles board has a Democratic majority, and Wittenberg is a liberal Democrat.

But because of allegations that Dixon misspent millions of dollars on pension increases and other perks for himself and other top officials, the job is now being redefined.

Supervisors have begun to whittle away the powers they had ceded to Dixon. And a November ballot measure would create an elected county executive to replace the appointed CAO.

Dixon announced Tuesday that he will resign by year’s end “in the best interests of the county.”

His decision to end his tumultuous five years as CAO came after one of his most loyal supporters, Supervisor Deane Dana, called for his resignation.

Dana said he wants to put new restrictions on the post before proceeding with a nationwide search for a successor. But he said he believes that the search could be under way in a few weeks and a successor could be named by year-end.

Supervisor Mike Antonovich said any decision on replacing Dixon--including hiring an executive recruiter--should wait until one and possibly two new board members take office in December.

The county has never hired a CAO from outside the Los Angeles County bureaucracy.

Only one supervisor, Kenneth P. Hahn, has expressed a preference for a successor to Dixon--Chief Assistant CAO Mary Jung.

Also mentioned as a possible candidate is Dixon’s predecessor, Jim Hankla, who left the county CAO job to become Long Beach city manager. He declined comment Wednesday. Also mentioned was Sandra Davis, a career county bureaucrat who succeeded Dixon as treasurer-tax collector in 1987.