Recently retired City Manager Dale Shaddox applied for King
City’s interim city manager opening but later backed out, which
irked Hollister union leaders but didn’t bother government
officials six weeks after his abrupt departure.
Recently retired City Manager Dale Shaddox applied for King City’s interim city manager opening but later backed out, which irked Hollister union leaders but didn’t bother government officials six weeks after his abrupt departure.
King City Vice Mayor Richard Zechentmayer on Friday confirmed Shaddox had applied for the interim job. But Shaddox “pulled out at the last minute” before the King City council interviewed three other finalists Thursday, Zechentmayer said.
Shaddox left Hollister in April after 11 months on the job. He accepted an early retirement package worth $680 a month, one he set up to ease budget pains.
His departure surprised many observers and officials who counted on a longer stay to guide Hollister through a financial crisis. Shaddox also had said he couldn’t handle laying off all those employees and remain in the top management role. And he indicated he accepted the job while being misled about the scope of Hollister’s money problems.
John Vellardita, executive director of the local Service Employees International Union, said Shaddox’s application in King City showed “a lack of commitment or sincerity to the City of Hollister.”
Shaddox, with little left to cut from an ailing budget, pushed forward a plan to lay off 36 workers earlier this year. That made Shaddox widely unpopular among employee ranks and the SEIU.
When the SEIU learned he applied in King City, its members there lobbied against Shaddox, Vellardita said.
“They certainly made it clear to the powers that be in King City that they wouldn’t want that type of administrator hired,” Vellardita said.
King City expects to announce its new interim city manager at a meeting Monday to succeed former manager Keith Bresken, who left a month ago, Zechentmayer said.
Shaddox, who left Hollister for a home in southern Oregon, couldn’t be reached for comment. Shaddox applied to King City through a League of California Cities service often used by jurisdictions to fill interim management roles, Zechentmayer said. Hollister used the same service to hire Ed Kreins as interim city manager in early 2003.
Mayor Tony Bruscia said he didn’t have a problem with Shaddox having his name on the King City list of applicants. He said Shaddox has ample “talent, expertise and experience” to use as a city manager.
“I think Dale made it clear he needed to move on. I think everybody understands why,” Bruscia said.
He added, though, “If he was applying for a permanent job, then that would disturb me a little.”
Councilman Tony LoBue also said he’s fine with Shaddox pursuing other management jobs.
“We don’t own him. I don’t have any problems with it,” LoBue said.
