SANTA ANA — Early Monday evening the Santa Ana City Council, after a two hour closed session meeting, selected Paul Walters as its new City Manager. Walters has served as Interim City Manager since the departure of long-term city manager Dave Ream in March of 2011. In addition to his position as interim city manager Walters is currently the Police Chief, a position he has held since 1988.
The City Attorney reported out from closed session that she had been directed by the council to draft an employment contract based upon terms identified during the closed session. The contract will be brought back to the council for approval at a future date.
you read it here first Friday and today.
The city started, then abandoned its search for a new city manager. Following the initial outreach the city then turned inward. It is no surprise the City hired the Mayor’s last soldier to provide cover for him. Although there is likely precedent for a police chief serving as city manager, I doubt such occurs often in our spiral galaxy.
Many people in the community felt the City should have looked outside the city.
Its clear Paul looks almost an infirmed as Dave did before he retired.
The air in the City remains stale. slowly becoming putrid.
That guy looks like that eagle on the muppet show.
The rule of unintended consequences could cause a bite in the butt.
Simultaneously being City Manager and Police Chief is a good start, but surely there must be other city jobs he could also have, right?
Don’t worry, Greg. I hear that the City Council is considering hiring an official Greeter like Laguna Beach used to have. Paul Walters will stand on the street greeting everyone in their car coming in from the Garden Grove border.
Pedroza needs to stop believing the crap Michele feeds him. She barely understands bond ratings let alone procedural votes.
I do not know Paull Walters personally, but know of his achievements as Santa Ana Police Chief and then as Interim City Manager. He is ultimately qualified and has done an excellent job in developing a plan to deal with a number of Santa Ana’s financial problems. Why spend a lot of time and money doing an outside recruitment when you have a known leader already at the helm. Most of those critical of Walters, haven’t a clue what it takes to run a major Police Department, achieving the professional reputation that Santa Ana has gained. The City Council made a wise decision in this matter and time will prove them right.
+20 years.
Paul Walter’s been at the city too long. After all, here in the United States we change Presidents every 4-8 years and, then, change Defense Department Secretaries and so on. Paul Walters is nothing but a leech sucking up money from the City of Santa Ana with the “buzz” that’s he’s “irreplaceable” and “great”. It’s all just manufactured bull.
Paul Walters should be replaced with someone younger with better ideas, younger arteries and a more affordable salary.
If the United States doesn’t fall apart with occasional replacements, believe me, the City of Santa Ana won’t either.
What’s next for Paul Walters? Is he going to become the City Attorney, too? Keep it going and he’ll have all the city positions including the town greeter as well.
Marcus, it is doubtful that you could qualify as a janitor at City Hall much less hold a position of responsibility in the Police Department. No person in any position is “irreplacable,” but when you have a leader doing a good job in local government, why change? Now that Paul Walters has been appointed City Manager, they will be doing a recruitment for his replacement as Police Chief. If they are lucky enough to get another Chief with the professional qualifications of Walters, the citizens will be lucky. By the way, do you even live in Santa Ana?
You sound and write as if you’re a shill for Paul Walters. Are you writing for money or conviction? If it’s the latter, your selection process for heroes is serious lacking.
Pat is not writing for money; while Pat and I disagree over many things political, I have always found Pat to be a person of sincerity and conviction (even though he’s a misguided conservative). Additionally, Pat is a retired Irvine Police Officer so he joins Walters in the brotherhood of blue.
Dan, thanks for your kind words. At the same time, let me assure you that the Brotherhood of Blue only goes so far with me. There are Police Chiefs I have known that I wouldn’t spit on if they were on fire. That includes one in Irvine that plagued us for ten long years. Fortunately, Irvine has a very good Chief today and is carrying on the service philosophy started in 1975. Just as in all professions law enforcement is not without those who should not be there and good Cops want to see them out.
In the year 2112…
Paul Walters will be a picture in the lobby at the City of Santa Ana’s town hall…
and people will say “Who’s that?”
Congratulations! What better qualified person to run the City of Santa Ana than Santa Ana’s Top Cop. There will always be doomsayers but not here, someone who is well liked by the community and a devoted city employee is the man for the job.
Should Chief Walters still over see the Santa Ana Police Department, most definitely! No outsider has been through the growing pains, fought more battles and brought the Santa Ana Police Department to the forefront of policing than our current Chief Paul Walters.
The disparaging comments made by resident Debbie McEwen are disrespectful and childish in nature. “You must break the chain!” Voters break chains and the persons who were put into office voted for Chief Paul Walters, end of discussion!
The talk of a nationwide search for chief has been done in the past and with disastrous results. The City of Santa Ana is best served by one of its own.
Chief Paul Walters your efforts in continuing to make The City of Santa Ana a better place to work and live are greatly appreciated.