Vicino is interim boss cop

[BYNAME]By Kenneth Todd Ruiz
Staff Writer
[BODY]PASADENA — Police Chief Bernard Melekian will trade his uniform for a suit and take the reins at City Hall early next year after the City Council unanimously selected him to take over the city manager’s job.
Not that anyone who attended Monday night’s meeting, where the decision was made in closed session, would know.
The council kept Melekian’s appointment as interim city manager secret until a news release was sent by City Hall just before midnight on Monday, after the council failed to announce its decision as required under state law.
Beginning Jan. 8, Melekian’s assignment is expected to last about six months as the council launches a nationwide search to find a permanent successor to veteran administrator Cynthia Kurtz, who is leaving for a job in the private sector.
“I’m violating one of my own rules — that you never follow on anyone that’s been a resounding success,” Melekian said of Kurtz on Tuesday. “This is going to be a fun challenge.”
Following Monday’s closed session decision, Mayor Bill Bogaard made no report in public, as required under state open-meeting laws.
On Tuesday, Bogaard said the decision’s timing “came as a surprise” and that its announcement was delayed “out of courtesy” to inform both candidates, Melekian and city planning chief Richard Bruckner.
Without exception, the Government Code requires such decisions be announced in public immediately after they are made.
“Action taken to appoint, employ, dismiss, accept the resignation of, or otherwise affect the employment status of a public employee in closed session ... shall be reported at the public meeting during which the closed session is held,” according to the law.
Although both positions are administrative, it’s unusual for the head of police to make the move to the city manager’s office.
“It’s quite uncommon — but not unheard of,” said Bill Garrett, executive director of the California City Management Foundation, adding that better retirement benefits usually lead them back to policing.
Melekian’s 11 years as chief of police have been well regarded by the political establishment, and he has been credited with an overall trend of reduced crime.
But the department has scored low points on communication and has been criticized for not disclosing information that should be available to the public.
Earlier this year, the department — along with many in the state — earned a failing grade for how it handled requests for public records from reporters as part of a statewide audit by Californians Aware, which advocates for transparency in government.
In response, Melekian issued a scathing statement describing the audit as a misleading “sting” operation designed to fail the department.
Melekian disagreed with such criticism Tuesday and said the Pasadena Police Department is “one of the most transparent” in the state.
“We don’t have a disagreement about the public’s right to know, and what they have access to,” he said. “The only thing we’ve disagreed with is the manner in which that’s done.”
In the City Manager’s office, however, different considerations will be made, he said.
“I expect in many cases, the security concerns that apply to a number of police cases may not apply” Melekian said.
Following on the heels of a city manager generally responsive to public inquiry, Bogaard said the council had confidence Melekian would do the same.
“The council is aware of the importance of a city administration which is open and accessible, and the council has no reason to think that those characteristics won’t be achieved under Chief Melekian’s interim administration,” he said.
Melekian, who was selected over Bruckner, will be able to apply for the permanent position, a reversal from the council’s direction a week prior.
Speaking on the chief’s behalf last week, police spokeswoman Janet Pope Givens said he was not interested in the permanent position.
Melekian left the door open on Tuesday.
“We understand the chief is delighted to serve as the interim and that he has not made a decision as to whether to seek the permanent position, but we have not precluded that in our arrangement with him,” Bogaard said.
With the Melekian now working as the chief at City Hall, the Police Department will be led by Deputy Chief Chris Vicino.

todd.ruiz@sgvn.com
(626) 578-6300, Ext. 4444
www.insidesocal.com/pasadenapolitics