City Manager Fired in Effort to End Scandal : Lynwood: Officials say they want to move beyond the controversy over an affair Laurence Adams Sr. allegedly had with the mayor pro tem.

Lynwood City Manager Laurence H. Adams Sr. was fired Thursday in what city officials said was an effort to end the controversy over an affair Adams allegedly had with Mayor Pro Tem Evelyn Wells.

“He’s out as city manager, period,” said Councilman Louis Heine. “He has to turn in his keys tonight. The whole scandal has brought a cloud over the city.”

Adams, 37, who worked for the city for six months, was placed on paid administrative leave for 30 days. He could work for the city in another position or as a consultant but cannot be city manager, council members said. Assistant City Manager Faustin Gonzales was named temporary city manager. Wells and Adams have denied having an affair.

Adams, flanked by about 20 supporters, declined to comment after the decision.

Two of the three council members who voted to fire Adams said they did so to move the city beyond the scandal, which began when Wells’ late husband, Donald Morris, accused the councilwoman and Adams of having an affair and said he had a videotape of the two kissing.

In March, Morris obtained a temporary restraining order to keep his wife from their Lynwood home and City Hall after he said she threatened him with a gun when the two had a heated argument over the allegations. Wells was unable to attend one City Council meeting because of the order, which was lifted.

Morris was shot to death April 3 outside the couple’s home. Wells and Adams are not suspects in Morris’ death, Deputy Dist. Atty. Frank Duarte said. A city employee, Samuel Baxter, 31, has been charged with the murder, Duarte said.

Wells declined to comment other than to say the council’s decision was unfair. Council members said their decision to dismiss Adams was not based on his job performance, which they praised. The council is allowed to remove the city manager without cause.

Mayor Paul H. Richards II would say only that the decision was based on the “totality of the circumstances,” adding that community opinion would be sought on whether Adams should continue to work for the city in some capacity. Councilman Louis Byrd, who joined Wells in voting against removing Adams, said the 30-day administrative leave was meant to soften the blow of the decision.

“This is a political move,” Byrd said. “I thought it was an injustice today. It was a power play for whatever reason. I still don’t know why we did what we did. I thought the controversy was behind us.”

Adams’ supporters questioned whether the alleged affair could be reason enough for Adams’ termination.

“Suppose he’s guilty (of adultery). What price is he supposed to pay, especially when his performance as a city manager has been impeccable?” asked longtime Adams friend and Compton Councilwoman Patricia A. Moore. “We don’t hire our city manager on any basis but facts and competence. We don’t use who he’s been sleeping with as a criteria.”

Adams is no stranger to controversy. He was fired for inadequate performance as director of the Compton Redevelopment Agency in 1988 by then-City Manager James Goins. Goins also accused Adams of soliciting thousands of dollars in contributions from city vendors and developers on behalf of a charitable group, but Adams said Goins sanctioned the activity. Adams appealed the firing and was rehired as a special assistant to the city manager two years later, after Goins was fired. Adams again became redevelopment director in July, 1991, before taking the job as Lynwood city manager in November.