Ex-Administrator Named as Fill-In for Top County Post

The Board of Supervisors, moving quickly to find a temporary replacement for outgoing Chief Administrative Officer Richard B. Dixon, named Harry L. Hufford to the post Thursday. A former chief administrative officer, Hufford will assume the post in February.

Hufford, 61, is expected to assume the responsibilities of chief administrative officer for four to five months as county officials conduct a nationwide search for a permanent appointee to Los Angeles County’s top bureaucratic post.

Hufford, an administrator with the law firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, said Thursday that he has no intention of seeking the post beyond his interim appointment.

Hufford was the county’s chief administrative officer from 1974 to 1985.

Appointed by a unanimous vote, Hufford will face the task of guiding the county’s $13-billion bureaucracy through its worst fiscal crisis since the Depression. Hufford will take an unpaid leave from the Los Angeles law firm. The county will pay Hufford the equivalent of Dixon’s current salary, about $15,000 a month.

“I am flattered by this opportunity, but I also recognize that these are extremely difficult times in terms of our economy and public finance,” Hufford said. “This task is not going to be a walk through the park.”

Hufford will assume the post when Dixon officially leaves Feb. 3. The board voted Thursday to hire a private firm to conduct a nationwide search for Dixon’s successor.

Dixon announced in July that he would step down after Supervisors Gloria Molina and Deane Dana called for his resignation. Dixon had come under attack for his lavish spending on office remodeling and for taking some actions without seeking board approval. A grand jury found that he had assumed extraordinary control over the day-to-day operation of county government.

Some supervisors have called for important changes in the description of the chief administrative officer’s responsibilities, asking for amendments to curb the office’s power. The board debated the issue briefly but reached no decision.

Supervisor Ed Edelman, the new board chairman, said Hufford was chosen in part because the board did not want to appoint someone who was interested in the permanent position. Edelman said such an appointment might discourage many potential applicants.

Edelman said of Hufford: “He’s an experienced person with great skills. I think we’re in good hands.”

Hufford said he will consult with County Counsel De Witt Clinton to prevent any conflicts of interest because Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher handles many cases involving county government.