I'm a former city manager who held executive positions in 3 OC cities (Garden Grove, La Palma and Santa Ana). The best practice for hiring a qualified city manager is through a robust recruitment process, ideally led by a professional executive recruiter--who typically, by the way, also helps negotiate the employment agreement between the city and the successful candidate. I can understand why Aliso Viejo's approach seems...off. But having said that, I know Brett Channing personally. He's a smart guy -- MPA from USC, raised in the OC (his dad was the city manager of Laguna Hills for decades). He's got tons of municipal experience, including 6 years as the Deputy City Manager of Lake Forest and the last 3 years as the Assistant CM for Corona.
In the absence of information people tend to assume the worst. And compensation for city managers is always a touchy subject. Criticize the process--yes. Don't blame him for getting a good contract. Blame those who gave it to him. Brett will do a good job for the city. Based on my own experience, he'll likely earn every cent he's being paid.
He is getting paid almost as much as the Corona city manager was paid last year to manage a city with one third of the population and a community association managing almost all of the parks - no way he'll earn every cent!
What is to manage in Aliso Viejo?? Seriously, the parks are maintained by HOAs. The city contracts with OCSD for police and OCFA for fire services. What the heck does the city manager do? As far as I know, OC sanitation District and OC Flood control provide those services and streets are maintained by Mello Roos (I think).
Every public comment on the item to approve the new city manager was against, for many of the reasons stated in this substack, and the city council ignored the comments. No accountability.
The salary amount is the same as the City of Santa Ana that has a population almost 5x that of AV, also the City of Santa Ana has way more complex issues versus AV, so yes Brett Channing is being overpaid for the job.
The City Manager of Laguna Niguel, earns $316K, for a population of 66,000.
Let's face it, the good old boys wanted one of their own, and by executive order, they made it happen. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?. I have no regrets about not living in Aliso Viejo any longer.
It’s not like the city is sitting on a fiscal cliff or anything… 🙃🙃🙃
OH WAIT….
Is it me or do those photos look suspiciously Stepfordy? AI generated headshots for sure, unless they all spend a bucket load on Botox. Creepy.
I'm a former city manager who held executive positions in 3 OC cities (Garden Grove, La Palma and Santa Ana). The best practice for hiring a qualified city manager is through a robust recruitment process, ideally led by a professional executive recruiter--who typically, by the way, also helps negotiate the employment agreement between the city and the successful candidate. I can understand why Aliso Viejo's approach seems...off. But having said that, I know Brett Channing personally. He's a smart guy -- MPA from USC, raised in the OC (his dad was the city manager of Laguna Hills for decades). He's got tons of municipal experience, including 6 years as the Deputy City Manager of Lake Forest and the last 3 years as the Assistant CM for Corona.
In the absence of information people tend to assume the worst. And compensation for city managers is always a touchy subject. Criticize the process--yes. Don't blame him for getting a good contract. Blame those who gave it to him. Brett will do a good job for the city. Based on my own experience, he'll likely earn every cent he's being paid.
Respectfully Cathy, that’s entirely what Jeff did - blame the process and lack thereof.
He is getting paid almost as much as the Corona city manager was paid last year to manage a city with one third of the population and a community association managing almost all of the parks - no way he'll earn every cent!
Madness.
Is it racial profiling to say I can tell their politics from their photos?
To analyze whether this is a fair salary I would like to know what similar size cities with similar tax bases pay their city managers.
What is to manage in Aliso Viejo?? Seriously, the parks are maintained by HOAs. The city contracts with OCSD for police and OCFA for fire services. What the heck does the city manager do? As far as I know, OC sanitation District and OC Flood control provide those services and streets are maintained by Mello Roos (I think).
Every public comment on the item to approve the new city manager was against, for many of the reasons stated in this substack, and the city council ignored the comments. No accountability.
The salary amount is the same as the City of Santa Ana that has a population almost 5x that of AV, also the City of Santa Ana has way more complex issues versus AV, so yes Brett Channing is being overpaid for the job.
The City Manager of Laguna Niguel, earns $316K, for a population of 66,000.
Let's face it, the good old boys wanted one of their own, and by executive order, they made it happen. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?. I have no regrets about not living in Aliso Viejo any longer.