South Pasadena Names Interim City Manager

The city of South Pasadena this week selected an interim city manager.

Linda Holmes, a West Covina resident and experienced city manager, will take the reins when Ken Farfsing leaves June 13 for his new job as city manager of Signal Hill, said South Pasadena Mayor Dorothy Cohen.

Holmes, 51, retired as Walnut city manager last June after battling with some city council members. Before she left, Holmes openly accused a councilwoman of trying to stifle efforts to improve cultural diversity in the city. Having served for 10 years as city manager, Holmes’s early retirement shocked many residents and raised the issue of racial tension in Walnut.

She recently served as interim city manager in Lawndale for seven months and has several other administrative jobs on her resume, Cohen said.

The League of California Cities recommended more than a dozen applicants to the city for the position, but Holmes stood out because “She’s an outstanding candidate,” said Cohen, who does not expect to find a permanent replacement until November. “She has all the qualities we are looking for.”