SIMI VALLEY : City Manager Picks Ex-Aide as Assistant

The Simi Valley city manager on Tuesday promoted a former member of his own staff to work as his right hand on labor, personnel and intergovernmental matters: General Services Director Laura Herron.

Herron, 38, was selected by City Manager Mike Sedell over two other city employees who also applied for the $7,593-a-month post.

Herron came to work as a deputy city manager in Simi Valley in 1989, Sedell said. She worked in that post until December, 1994, when she was named general services director to fill a vacancy left by the August, 1994, resignation of Director John McMillan.

When the City Council promoted Sedell from assistant city manager to city manager in June, he began looking for someone to fill his old post.

“I believed we have good quality people in this city who are able to move into jobs like that, and that proved correct,” said Sedell, who interviewed the candidates Tuesday.

Herron will tread familiar turf, according to the city manager. She will act as the city’s representative in labor negotiations with municipal workers’ unions; in her previous job she used to back up Sedell in this task.

“I’m looking forward to having another opportunity to work with Mike,” said Herron, who begins her new post Thursday. “Simi’s been a really good organization to work for. . . . I’m looking forward to working for the community and the council on issues that make the quality of life for the citizenry as good as it can be.”