City Mgr. West Hires New Deputy City Mgr...From Oakland
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(Dec. 4, 2014) -- City Manager Pat West today (Dec. 4) announced the hiring of a new Deputy City Manager -- Arturo M. Sanchez -- from Oakland, where he's Interim Assistant City Administrator,
A City of LB release says Mr. Sanchez oversees Oakland's external delivery departments (police, parks and recreation, human services, building and planning, libraries, and nuisance abatement.) The release says he previously held the positions of Deputy City Administrator, Assistant to the City Administrator, Policy Analyst and attorney in the city's Neighborhood Law Corps. Prior to those positions, the LB release says Mr. Sanchez was a staff Attorney with La Raza Centro Legal, San Francisco, and Centro Legal de La Raza in Oakland [LB release text] "where he focused on representing youth at disciplinary and Individual Educational Program hearings."
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The City of LB release says Mr. Sanchez received a BA degree in English Literature from UC Berkeley, and a Juris Doctor degree from New College of California School of Law. The release says he's licensed to practice law in California and is a member of the International City/County Management Association, bilingual; fluently speaking and writing English and Spanish.
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The City Manager's choice of Mr. Sanchez follows an announcement in November that Deputy City Manager Reggie Harrison was promoted to Director of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Communications (the first permanent director of a newly created department responsible for disaster preparedness, Homeland Security grant coordination, and the consolidation and oversight of the City’s Emergency Communications functions.)
In late September, City Manager West announced his choice of Deputy City Manager Tom Modica to become Assistant City Manager...which came only after two lengthy Council closed sessions -- one running from 11:40 p.m. Tues until 1:48 a.m. Wednesday -- to discuss the hiring of a new Assistant City Manager. Those lengthy closed sessions came after Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal, joined by Councilwomen Lena Gonzalez, Suzie Price and Stacy Mungo, agendized an item in early September listing qualities they wanted in a new Assistant City Manager, an item which carried without Council dissent.
Under the City Charter, the City Manager is the City's chief administrative officer, chosen by a vote of Councilmembers (subject to a Mayoral veto that can be overridden by 2/3 of Councilmembers.) The City Manager is appointed for an indefinite period and can only be removed by a vote of five Councilmembers (likewise subject to a Mayoral veto and 2/3 Council override.)
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The City Charter gives the Council the ability to confirm the Manager's choice of an Assistant City Manager, which it recently did for Mr. Modica in a publicly agendized item, and the Assistant City Manager serves at the pleasure of the City Manager.
The City Manager's choice of Mr. Sanchez as Deputy City Manager is not subject to Council voted review.
