For the first time in nearly a year, almost every Whittier City Hall department head position is filled, and there is no interim besides the title.
That the vacancies will filled during the coronaviruis crisis, making it difficult to hire new people, means some of the new faces are familiar. City Manager Brian Saeki filled his last two of three openings with a 20-year veteran of her department and a longtime planner who had retired and then returned.
Only the police chief’s position held by Jeff Piper, who is on leave until July 1 when he retires, is open. The interim position is held by Aviv Bar.
“Right now is not a good time to test the market to find any position,” Saeki said about his naming Jeff Adams as director of community development.
Adams, a Brea resident with 25 years experience as a planner — including 10 as planning services manager for Whittier before retiring in August 2017 — already was working as a consultant for the city.
He came out of retirement to succeed Conal McNamara, who in April went to La Palma to become its city manager.
Saeki said he knows Adams won’t be in Whittier long, but he has the experience and competence to do the job.
Adams said he will stay for at least a year.
Similarly, Saeki said Virginia Santana, the new parks, recreation and community services director, is the right person for the job.
“Virginia has worked for the city for 20 years and sat in every seat from entry level parks and recreation to all the way up,” Saeki said.
“She’s familiar with the community and familiar with people who use our programs,” he said. “She has a wealth of knowledge and with the loss of Greg, it’s needed here.”
Greg Alaniz, a 28-year veteran of recreation service, including 19 years for Whittier, resigned in December 2019 to go to Commerce to be that city’s parks and recreation director.
Santana, a resident of Long Beach, said she is “super excited to lead our department. I want to create and do new things to offer new opportunities for our residents.”
In the last year, the city has lost Alaniz; Piper; Rod Hill, director of administrative services; who became assistant city manager for the city of Chino Hills; City Clerk Lisa Pope, who made a lateral move to Vernon; and Public Works Director David Schickling, who became general manager of Golden State Water Co.’s Central District.
In addition, Saeki arrived in December to succeed City Manager Jeff Collier, who had retired.
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June 16, 2020 at 01:30AM
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Whittier has filled all but one department head vacancy - The Whittier Daily News
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