Garcetti Retools Board of Public Works

By City News Service

Mayor Eric Garcetti overhauled the Board of Public Works Friday, naming a slate of his own nominees, including a former opponent in the mayoral race, to replace the panel.

Garcetti appointed Kevin James, who finished third in the March primary election, to the board, which oversees the Department of Public Works.

James endorsed Garcetti in the May 21 run-off against Wendy Greuel. He is an attorney and radio host.

He would technically be filling in the vacancy left by the board's former president, Capri Maddox, who recently moved to the City Attorney's office.

The Board of Public Works' commission positions are paid, unlike with most of the other 50 or so boards that are staffed by volunteers.

Each of the new commissioners, if confirmed by the City Council, would receive an annual salary of $138,000. The council returns from its summer recess July 23.

"I'm proud to be working with Mayor Garcetti to make sure taxpayers get their money's worth and the street maintenance and other public works they deserve," James said.

The commissioners who sit on the Board of Public Works set policy and manage many of the day-to-day decisions for the Department of Public Works, which is the only city agency that is run by a five-person panel. Other city departments are headed by a general manager or director.

The mayor's office also intends to replace the four remaining members of the board with his own picks. Only James' appointment is official, Garcetti spokesman Yusef Robb said.

The board's sitting members, which includes Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa appointees, still need to be let go and additional paperwork will be required to make the other appointments official, according to Robb.

Among those losing their jobs is Warren Furutani, a former state lawmaker who was only a few months ago appointed by Villaraigosa and confirmed by the City Council.

Another of Garcetti's appointees is Matt Szabo, a longtime aide to former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who noted he was "grateful for the opportunity to continue my service" to Los Angeles residents.

Szabo, who made a failed bid to replace Garcetti's 13th District Council seat in the recent election, called public works the "bread and butter of city service and central to Mayor Garcetti's back-to-basics agenda."

Barbara Romero, who is also the Urban Projects chief of the Mountains Recreation & Conservation Authority, was also selected to sit on the board.

Romero said she wants to make "sustainability and efficiency" her priority and will "aim to improve our neighborhoods and our city's bottom line so our kids can enjoy a healthier and more prosperous Los Angeles."

The other two appointees include Mike Davis, a former Assemblyman who also ran for office in the 9th District council race, and Monica Rodriguez, an executive for the California Association of Realtors.

Also announced today was the appointment of Rick Cole, a former Pasadena Mayor and one-time city manager for Ventura and Azusa, as Garcetti's Deputy Mayor for Budget and Innovation.

Cole's job will be to "balance the city budget and develop and implement new tools and solutions to make government more cost-efficient, faster, and more responsive," according to a release from the mayor's office.

Cole will also oversee the Chief Technology Officer, Chief Sustainability Officer and the Performance Management Unit.

Garcetti said Cole will be a "critical asset" and possesses "a proven ability to both conceive of innovative solutions and deliver results."

"The team Mayor Garcetti is putting together is laser-focused on the right drivers, not only to better serve the residents and businesses of Los Angeles but also to be a model for revitalizing public service," Cole said. "I share his passion for achieving financial sustainability -- and being accountable for delivering tangible results worthy of a great city."

Cole is also charged with overseeing the City Administrative Officer, the Office of Finance, the Information Technology Agency, Personnel, Employee Relations, the Los Angeles City Employees' Retirement System and the Los Angeles Fire and Police Pensions.