Council, City Manager Set New Priorities

Riverside City Council held a closed session meeting Tuesday to discuss the performance of City Manager George Caravalho, who has had a tense relationship with several council members.

Though some in the community believed Caravalho would be fired, he and the city’s mayor and mayor pro tem emerged from the 1 1/2-hour review vowing to work on their differences. They announced that the city would hold a workshop in coming weeks to set priorities and improve communication between the council and city manager.

“It’s not [about our] relationship. It’s how we work together to get things done,” said Mayor Ron Loveridge. “It’s joining together in a commitment to make good things happen for the city. It’s partnership. It’s teamwork.”

Caravalho, echoing the words of Loveridge and mayor pro tem Frank Schiavone, said Tuesday’s meeting was positive and constructive.

Priorities for the coming months include finishing the city’s budget and labor negotiations, he said.

Caravalho, 65, who is paid $197,336 a year, just finished the second year in a three-year contract, though the city can fire him at will.

Since taking the city manager post in 2002, Caravalho has been criticized by some council members for not communicating enough with them and for what they consider an independent-minded management style.

The council in March voted to strip his position as executive director of the Redevelopment Agency.

Before the closed-session meeting, Loveridge assured dozens of Caravalho’s supporters who had gathered in council chambers that the council would not be taking any action and that the review was simply a routine evaluation.

“The overarching purpose ... is to make City Hall work better,” Loveridge said.

Several people urged the council not to fire Caravalho.

“Some of you people are like playground bullies. You ought to be scolded,” said Rich Stalder, a teacher at North High School. “You ought to grow up. Are there going to be differences? Of course there are. That’s the way a good democracy operates.”