City Administrator Fired After 18 Months on the Job

Citing the need to move in a different direction, the Lomita City Council has dismissed City Administrator Keene Wilson, effective immediately.

Wilson, who came to the city 18 months ago and has played a key role in redevelopment efforts, was terminated Tuesday. City council members declined to give specific reasons for the action, saying only that Wilson was no longer compatible with what they needed in a city administrator.

Assistant City Administrator Gary Irwin has been appointed acting city manager. City officials hope to fill the top job within 90 days.

“The council had goals and objectives and so did Keene,” said Mayor Robert Hargrave. “But his didn’t seem to match what ours were.”

Wilson, who has 24 years’ experience in city government, said he was surprised by the decision, but added that he was aware that he and the new council had not built a solid relationship. The council gained two new members in November.

“The change in council seems to have brought a change of philosophy,” said Wilson, who plans to pursue another city management position. “I guess I wasn’t heading in the direction they wanted.”