Effort to Oust Interim Yorba Linda Manager Falls One Vote Short
The Yorba Linda City Council voted 3 to 2 Tuesday night not to terminate its interim city manager, choosing instead to have Daniel Miller help pick his successor.
Yorba Linda has two city managers on the payroll: Miller and longtime City Manager Arthur C. Simonian, who is on paid administrative leave. The city is suing Simonian to recover as much as $300,000 in bonuses he allegedly paid himself without council authorization. Simonian has denied any wrongdoing and is suing to get his job back.
The council fired Simonian in September for alleged financial malfeasance, but a judge reinstated him, saying the council had not followed proper procedures.
Councilman Henry W. Wedaa proposed that the city end Miller’s contract to save money and appoint Public Works Director Roy Stephenson, a longtime colleague of Simonian, as the acting city manager. The proposal failed, 3 to 2.
Mayor Ken Ryan, elected in March to fill a vacant council seat, said the city needs Miller to participate in hiring a city manager.
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