ANAHEIM : City Manager Ruth Consults on the Side

City Manager James D. Ruth, who for the last four months has been working as a private consultant for a proposed theme park in Northern California, said Friday that he has no immediate plans to leave the city to become more involved in the venture.

Ruth has been working some nights and weekends as a consultant for a proposed 1,600-acre project in Tehama County which would include shops, restaurants, live theaters and a convention center.

“I obviously have a very full plate in Anaheim,” he said. “But I think it’s a great project for the economy up there, which is somewhat depressed. It would provide a lot of jobs.”

Ruth came aboard in October at the request of developer Leo Urbanski, who is heading the project.

He said Urbanski sought him out because of his experience working with local governments.

Ruth said he has visited the area twice and that his participation has been limited to weekends and nights.

“There has been absolutely no conflict with my job here in Anaheim,” Ruth said. “My involvement has been very limited.”

The city manager’s contract, which pays him $146,549 a year, allows for this type of consulting work, city officials said.

He did not say how much he is being paid for consulting.

Ruth said he informed the City Council of his involvement last October through a letter, which was discussed in closed session.

When two new council members were sworn in last December, he said, he also discussed the matter with them.