City Manager: Not Pressured to Fire Planning Director
Menifee Interim City Manager Rob Johnson has named staff member Lisa Gordon acting planning manager in the wake of the recent firing of Carm...
http://www.menifee247.com/2013/07/city-manager-not-pressured-to-fire-planning-director.html
Menifee Interim City Manager Rob Johnson has named staff member Lisa Gordon acting planning manager in the wake of the recent firing of Carmen Cave (left), who had been serving as the city's community development director.The search process for a permanent replacement will begin soon, said Johnson, who fired Cave earlier this month in what he called "a business decision,"
Johnson denied rumors that he was pressured by city council members to fire Cave, who was the city staff's key figure in administering city development projects. She also had primary responsibilities with the development of the city's general plan -- a controversial document among some because of the constant debate over the amount of development in the city.
"I absolutely was not pressured. This was my decision," Johnson said.
Matt Liesemeyer, chair of the Menifee Planning Commission, said he believes delays in finalization of the city's general plan could have been a factor in Cave's dismissal.
"There have been a lot of delays in the general plan," Liesemeyer said. "In my opinion, it looks like she might have taken the fall for it."
Cave, a 20-year resident of Aliso Viejo in Orange County, currently serves as mayor of that city. She did not return requests for comment on this story.
Of course the “interim” city manager is going to deny any influence from the council members. Remember he is not employed as a permanent city manager and is working without a contract. He can be replaced by a simple vote by the council, which leaves him pretty vulnerable if he isn’t compliant with the wishes of council members, whether or not it is communicated to him directly.
ReplyDeleteCave has been under pressure for sometime.
Go back and read the comments of Gregg August and his group before he was elected. Look at previous comments by Edgerton and Scott Mann concerning this position.
If anyone thinks that the council was not part of this you're in denial. Imagine an "interim" city manager firing someone without notifying the council or, what if this was a "business decision" but the council didn't want her fired? Do you think she'd be gone? This is just more of the behind the scenes nonsense that makes up our city and it's led by some egos the size of the Western hemisphere. Cave just made the majority mad enough to make this happen.
ReplyDeleteIs the public aware that this city still does not have their own General Plan in place. Menifee is still using the adopted GP from RivCo 5 years later. Unacceptable. All Cave has succeeded to do so far is obtain extensions for filing a GP for Menifee. Come this August the final extension expires.
ReplyDeleteCave has been here on city staff for 5 years and couldn't help get the city's GP in place. Over those 5 years there have been numerous concerns about Cave's performance in her position from staff, council and citizens.
Carmen can now enjoy the fact she doesn't have to make the daily commute over the hill from Orange County.
MR Wilson
And you think that she was responsible for that? The old city manager had a lot to do with that. And the concerns from citizens about her performance were from Pica and August's group, do those opinions still count after all that they've done to this city?
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