NEWPORT BEACH : City to Trim 16 Jobs, Merge Departments

The City Council has approved a plan to merge six city departments into three and eliminate 16 positions in the next year to balance the city’s $98-million budget for fiscal year 1995-96, officials said.

Assistant City Manager Ken Delino, who has shepherded the city’s Economic Development Committee and helped create business improvement districts, will take the helm of the planning and building departments. The change will coincide with the anticipated retirement of Planning Director James Hewicker.

Delino’s reassignment will allow him to emphasize business development, while another assistant city manager will be hired to help City Manager Kevin J. Murphy, primarily with legislative analysis.

The finance and personnel departments would be merged into an administrative services department under Finance Director Dennis Danner. That change would coincide with the anticipated retirement of the personnel manager.

Public works and utilities would also be merged under Public Works Director Don Webb. Utilities Director Jeff Staneart would become the department’s utilities manager.

The marine department, most visible because it includes the city’s lifeguards, would become part of the Fire Department and would spend more time on disaster preparedness and community education during the off-season.

Murphy’s plan was met with approval from city officials, though Tom Hyans, the president of the Central Balboa Improvement Assn., said it did not appear to save the city any money now.

Bob Lewis, a resident and retired management consultant, said Murphy’s plan was presented as a more efficient way to deliver services, but he said he did not see either occurring.