Oft-Criticized City Attorney Wins Contract Extension

Ending months of speculation over the future of Pasadena City Manager Philip A. Hawkey, the City Council has voted to extend his contract, which was due to expire in October.

After council members met for an hour behind closed doors with Hawkey and his attorney late Monday, Councilman Paul Little emerged to announce the council’s 5-2 vote to approve the two-year extension, which he characterized as a show of confidence in Hawkey.

The dissenting votes were cast by Mayor William Paparian and Vice Mayor Chris Holden, who in the past have both called for Hawkey’s firing.

Holden noted that in council evaluations of Hawkey in recent years, his performance as been viewed as average. The council last year rejected his request for a pay raise after an evaluation.

Hawkey has been under fire since the day he took the job seven years ago. Then, leaders in the city’s African American community opposed his appointment, arguing that he discriminated against blacks when he served as Toledo, Ohio, city manager. Two years ago, developer and activist Danny Bakewell called for Hawkey’s resignation over what he called the city manager’s opposition to a proposed development in northwest Pasadena.

Union leaders also had opposed extending Hawkey’s contract. Before the council’s vote Monday, one union official told the council that a closed-door session on the issue would be an insult to the community and argued that there should be public debate.

But Hawkey has weathered the storm, even winning awards for minority recruitment for City Hall jobs. Hawkey’s supporters on the council said after the vote that the city is facing several tough problems and needs Hawkey’s leadership.