MISSION VIEJO : New City Manager Realigns 4 Top Administrative Positions

It was expected that new City Manager Dan Joseph would be making some changes in City Hall, and some of those have come quickly.

A mere two weeks after officially taking over, Joseph has shaken up the chain of command by assigning new jobs to four top administrators and saving Mission Viejo about $96,000 annually.

“I wanted to move quickly and go on with the business of the city, rather than sit back and let rumors develop over who’s getting what job,” Joseph said.

The personnel moves won’t become official until today’s City Council meeting, when council members are expected to ratify the new assignments.

The changes will eliminate about 1 1/2 positions in City Hall, which Joseph says is part of his “streamlining approach” to city management.

“First of all, it saves money,” he said. “And frankly, our organizational structure is more in tune to what I’m comfortable with.”

The biggest step will be taken by Dennis Wilberg, who will become assistant city manager while retaining his role as director of public works.

In addition to being in charge when Joseph is out of City Hall, Wilberg will oversee the city’s Redevelopment Agency.

With nearly all redevelopment projects dealing with traffic improvements, Wilberg’s experience as public works director will serve the city well, Joseph said.

With Wilberg accepting new responsibilities, Loren Anderson will become city engineer.

Former senior management analyst Rick Howard will become an assistant to the city manager. Also, JoAnn Corey will become senior management analyst.

“We have a lot of competent people here” in City Hall, Joseph said.

“There was no need to go outside the organization.”