The Bureaucratic Elite

The abrupt resignation of Los Angeles Fire Chief Donald Manning, announced just two weeks after voters passed Charter Amendment 2, has placed a spotlight on the people who run 33 city agencies--the highly paid and, in many instances, little-known bureaucratic elite of City Hall.

Manning’s resignation gives Mayor Richard Riordan an opportunity to put his stamp on the Fire Department by directly appointing the next chief, as provided under Charter Amendment 2. Additionally, Manning’s successor must live under the rules of the amendment, which gives the mayor--with council consent--new power to dismiss the fire chief and other department heads. Previously, most agency heads were protected from firing and discipline by civil service rules.

Listed are the 26 general manager positions affected by the amendment, as well as the seven other top jobs already exempt from civil service. The General Managers Assn. believes taking the protections away from existing agency heads is illegal.

Fourteen of the top positions are held by women or minorities. Twenty-six make more than $100,000. NAME: Donald O. Manning AGENCY: Fire Dept. SALARY: $171,153 HIRE DATE: 1/83 ETHNICITY AND SEX: White male JOB DESCRIPTION: Fire chief RESIDENCE: La Canada Flintridge AGE: 63 *

NAME: Keith Comrie** AGENCY: City Administrative Office SALARY: $169,880 HIRE DATE: 12/79 ETHNICITY AND SEX: White male JOB DESCRIPTION: Prepares budget, provides fiscal oversight over departments. RESIDENCE: Downtown Los Angeles AGE: 55 *

NAME: William McCarley** AGENCY: Dept. of Water and Power SALARY: $167,437 HIRE DATE: 8/94 ETHNICITY AND SEX: White male JOB DESCRIPTION: Operates utility that provides water, electricity RESIDENCE: Mission Viejo AGE: 55 *

NAME: Willie L. Williams** AGENCY: Police Dept. SALARY: $163,198 HIRE DATE: 6/92 ETHNICITY AND SEX: Black male JOB DESCRIPTION: Police chief RESIDENCE: Woodland Hills AGE: 51 *

NAME: Ron Deaton** AGENCY: Chief Legislative Analyst SALARY: $152,194 HIRE DATE: 7/93 ETHNICITY AND SEX: White male JOB DESCRIPTION: Top adviser to City Council RESIDENCE: Seal Beach AGE: 52 *

NAME: Ezunial Burts** AGENCY: Harbor Dept. SALARY: $151,714 HIRE DATE: 11/84 ETHNICITY AND SEX: Black male JOB DESCRIPTION: Operates city-owned harbor RESIDENCE: South Los Angeles AGE: 48 *

NAME: Robert Horil AGENCY: Bureau of Engineering SALARY: $150,420 HIRE DATE: 5/85 ETHNICITY AND SEX: Asian male JOB DESCRIPTION: Supervises city public works projects, reviews private development RESIDENCE: Gardena AGE: 63 *

NAME: Jack Driscoll** AGENCY: Airports Dept. SALARY: $150,378 HIRE DATE: 1/93 ETHNICITY AND SEX: White male JOB DESCRIPTION: Runs four city airports RESIDENCE: Granada Hills AGE: 52 *

NAME: Con Howe AGENCY: Planning Dept. SALARY: $147,893 HIRE DATE: 4/92 ETHNICITY AND SEX: White male JOB DESCRIPTION: Prepares land-use plans, reviews development projects RESIDENCE: Westwood AGE: 45 *

NAME: Jackie Tatum AGENCY: Recreation and Parks Dept. SALARY: $132,108 HIRE DATE: 4/92 ETHNICITY AND SEX: Black female JOB DESCRIPTION: Operates public parks, golf courses, pools, recreation centers RESIDENCE: South Los Angeles AGE: 62 *

NAME: Randall Bacon AGENCY: General Services Dept. SALARY: $131,273 HIRE DATE: 10/88 ETHNICITY AND SEX: Black male JOB DESCRIPTION: Maintains public buildings, purchases goods and services for city RESIDENCE: Downtown Los Angeles AGE: 57 *

NAME: Delwin Biagi AGENCY: Bureau of Sanitation SALARY: $127,994 HIRE DATE: 5/85 ETHNICITY AND SEX: White male JOB DESCRIPTION: Operates sewage, garbage collection and disposal systems RESIDENCE: Huntington Beach AGE: 53 *

NAME: Faye Washington AGENCY: Personnel Dept. SALARY: $127,514 HIRE DATE: 1/94 ETHNICITY AND SEX: Black female JOB DESCRIPTION: Administers city hiring programs, civil service system RESIDENCE: Cerritos AGE: 48 *

NAME: Dick Walsh AGENCY: L.A. Convention Center SALARY: $125,238 HIRE DATE: 1/74 ETHNICITY AND SEX: White male JOB DESCRIPTION: Runs the convention center RESIDENCE: Fullerton AGE: 69 *

NAME: Susan Goldberg-Kent AGENCY: Library Dept. SALARY: $120,018 HIRE DATE: 2/95 ETHNICITY AND SEX: White female JOB DESCRIPTION: Runs library system RESIDENCE: Westwood AGE: 51 *

NAME: Art Johnson* AGENCY: Building and Safety Dept. SALARY: $118,786 HIRE DATE: 7/94 ETHNICITY AND SEX: White male JOB DESCRIPTION: Inspects construction projects, enforces zoning code rules RESIDENCE: Long Beach AGE: 54 *

NAME: Robert Yates AGENCY: Dept. of Transportation SALARY: $118,786 HIRE DATE: 12/93 ETHNICITY AND SEX: White male JOB DESCRIPTION: Plans city’s road system, maintains traffic control systems RESIDENCE: Hacienda Heights AGE: 51 *

NAME: Elias Martinez AGENCY: City Clerk SALARY: $118,640 HIRE DATE: 1/83 ETHNICITY AND SEX: Latino male JOB DESCRIPTION: Runs city elections, custodian of legislative records RESIDENCE: San Marino AGE: 57 *

NAME: Gary Squier AGENCY: Housing Department SALARY: $116,761 HIRE DATE: 11/90 ETHNICITY AND SEX: White male JOB DESCRIPTION: Develops city housing policies RESIDENCE: Santa Monica AGE: 43 *

NAME: Wendell Meyer AGENCY: Information Services Dept. SALARY: $111,457 HIRE DATE: 8/78 ETHNICITY AND SEX: White male JOB DESCRIPTION: Runs city’s computer network RESIDENCE: Glendora AGE: 61 *

NAME: Patrick Howard AGENCY: Street Maintenance Bureau SALARY: $107,970 HIRE DATE: 8/87 ETHNICITY AND SEX: White male JOB DESCRIPTION: Supervises paving and cleaning of city streets and sidewalks RESIDENCE: Cypress AGE: 54 *

NAME: George Eslinger AGENCY: Bureau of Street Lighting SALARY: $107,803 HIRE DATE: 12/84 ETHNICITY AND SEX: White male JOB DESCRIPTION: Oversees installation and maintenance of street lights RESIDENCE: Pasadena AGE: 56 *

NAME: J. Paul Brownridge AGENCY: Treasurer SALARY: $106,050 HIRE DATE: 3/91 ETHNICITY AND SEX: Black male JOB DESCRIPTION: Custodian of city funds RESIDENCE: Downtown Los Angeles AGE: 49 *

NAME: C. Bernard Gilpin** AGENCY: Bureau of Contract Administration SALARY: $103,377 HIRE DATE: 12/86 ETHNICITY AND SEX: Black male JOB DESCRIPTION: Oversees city’s affirmative action, minority contracting programs RESIDENCE: South Pasadena AGE: 50 *

NAME: Susan Herman AGENCY: Telecommunications Dept. SALARY: $102,855 HIRE DATE: 4/85 ETHNICITY AND SEX: White female JOB DESCRIPTION: Regulates private cable TV operators RESIDENCE: Brentwood AGE: 41 *

NAME: Parker Anderson AGENCY: Community Development Dept. SALARY: $101,498 HIRE DATE: 12/88 ETHNICITY AND SEX: White male JOB DESCRIPTION: Administers youth, job training and social services grants RESIDENCE: Manhattan Beach AGE: 47 *

NAME: Gary Olsen AGENCY: Animal Regulation Dept. SALARY: $93,459 HIRE DATE: 1/94 ETHNICITY AND SEX: White male JOB DESCRIPTION: Enforces animal cruelty and licensing laws RESIDENCE: Simi Valley AGE: 51 *

NAME: Gary Mattingly AGENCY: Dept. of Pensions SALARY: $93,083 HIRE DATE: 6/82 ETHNICITY AND SEX: White male JOB DESCRIPTION: Custodian of pension funds for police, firefighters RESIDENCE: Manhattan Beach AGE: 51 *

NAME: Lillian Kawasaki AGENCY: Environmental Affairs Dept. SALARY: $92,457 HIRE DATE: 3/90 ETHNICITY AND SEX: Asian female JOB DESCRIPTION: Prepares city environmental policies RESIDENCE: Fountain Valley AGE: 44 *

NAME: Oscar Peters AGENCY: City Employees Retirement System SALARY: $85,065 HIRE DATE: 8/92 ETHNICITY AND SEX: White male JOB DESCRIPTION: Custodian of pension system for civilian city employees RESIDENCE: Arleta AGE: 47 *

NAME: Ann Smith* AGENCY: Department of Aging SALARY: $85,065 HIRE DATE: 1/94 ETHNICITY AND SEX: Black female JOB DESCRIPTION: Oversees programs for caring, feeding elderly RESIDENCE: South Los Angeles AGE: 53 *

NAME: Adolfo Nodal AGENCY: Cultural Affairs Dept. SALARY: $80,367 HIRE DATE: 11/88 ETHNICITY AND SEX: Latino male JOB DESCRIPTION: Operates city cultural facilities, artistic events and classes, recommends establishment of cultural and historical landmarks RESIDENCE: Los Angeles AGE: 45 *

NAME: Robert Burns AGENCY: Social Services Dept. SALARY: $76,588 HIRE DATE: 5/82 ETHNICITY AND SEX: White male JOB DESCRIPTION: Regulates charitable fund-raising in city, including bingo RESIDENCE: Glendale AGE: 54

* Acting general managers

** Exempt from Civil Service system before Charter Amendment 2

SOURCES: City Administrative Office report and city clerk publications. Salaries are as of July 1, 1994.

Researched by JOHN SCHWADA / Los Angeles Times