Now Is the Time for Brimhall to Retire

* Our hearts go out to the Brimhall family for the heart problem that our distinguished city manager of almost two decades has had to endure.

Grant Brimhall’s PhD is in public finance, and I guess that has taught him about manipulating budgets and grants. Some people consider it an asset to bring this “free” money to the community and care little how it is spent as it is not coming out of their pockets.

This is why we have the most scandalous redevelopment agency and other financial problems that are on the level of Orange County, the DWP and MTA. He plans to put the city in another $16 million in debt for a golf course that is an environmental disaster, he is building a day-care center with federal funds that doubles its price tag every time it is brought before the public, and he is leasing a dilapidated old city hall on terms that a drunk businessman would not accept.

The only difference is that the bubble has not yet burst here. Brimhall told your fine reporter Stephanie Simon in a story about him published on Feb. 19, 1995, that he would retire in 2 1/2 years. Well, according to my math that period is up, and I urge him to give a date and help us in recruiting a new manager.

As is well known, he supports the council majority that have concrete in their veins and was instrumental in giving staff support to the failed recall. He has extremely favorable retirement terms in his contract, which he will not get when council member Elois Zeanah gets a slow-growth majority in council next year. It would be in the best interest of the community that Mr. Brimhall announce his retirement now!

NICK E. QUIDWAI

Executive director,

Concerned Citizens

of Thousand Oaks