Bell Gardens Council Names Fifth City Manager in 5 Years

The Bell Gardens City Council this week hired a top Colton administrator to be its fifth city manager in as many years.

Ending six months of substitute administration by the city’s elected officials, the council selected Nabar Martinez from among two dozen job applicants in the hope that he can steer city government away from years of factionalism and fiscal uncertainty.

“It’s not an easy job that he’s coming to,” Councilman Frank Duran said.

Martinez has been in and out of Bell Gardens much of the week, but could not be reached for comment Thursday.

After graduating from Texas Tech University in 1981 with a master’s degree in public administration, Martinez held various administrative offices in Texas until accepting a deputy city manager position in San Jose in 1989. After transferring to become Colton’s city manager in 1994, he helped prevent municipal bankruptcy by cutting $6 million and 115 jobs from the city budget. He also privatized the city’s refuse and recycling operations.

Martinez replaces former Bell Gardens City Manager Charles Trevino, who quit in March over allegations by Vernon officials that his position conflicted with his other duties as director of the Central Basin Water District. The city fired Trevino’s three predecessors beginning in 1991 amid various political and financial conflicts.