Letter: Why Renew City Manager Contract Now?

On Feb. 26, 2013 the Redondo Beach City Council is scheduled to consider a contract extension for City Manager Bill Workman. Workman's current contract runs through 2014, and I find it repugnant and disturbing that with an election only one week away and potentially four new council members coming on board that the current city council would take this vote.

Workman has a sad history with just about everyone in this city. From the city commissions to business to the employee groups, he has had a poor performance. Nordstrom has announced its plan to leave the South Bay Galleria for Torrance, and there is still no hotel complex for the old minature golf property that my neighbors jokingly refer to as "Occupy Redondo" because of all the homeless encampents. That is the city manager's responsibility, and he needs to accept some blame for it.

Why can't the city council simply wait until after the election to vote on his contract? His contract doesn't expire for another year, and there is no rush to extend it now. This entire deal smells, and I don't like it.

Robert Keane
Redondo Beach

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