New Council Ousts Longtime Manager : Politics: George Watts submits his resignation after officials vote 4 to 1 in favor of his stepping down.

ARCADIA —  Scarcely a month after their election, two new Arcadia City Council members have joined in a successful move to oust City Manager George Watts.

During a closed session after Tuesday’s regular City Council meeting, Councilmen Dennis A. Lojeski and Robert G. Margett, who were elected April 14, voted with Mayor George Fasching and Councilman Joe Ciraulo to ask Watts to resign. Councilman Robert C. Harbicht dissented.

Watts tendered his resignation, effective Thursday, according to a statement released Wednesday by the city.

“It is the consensus of the City Council that new administrative leadership would be in the best interests of the city,” the statement said.

Watts declined to comment.

Other council members were hesitant to discuss in detail why Watts was asked to leave.

“What went on in closed session should stay in that realm,” said Lojeski.

“A new leader would be in order based on our objectives and the style of leadership we want,” Fasching said. “It’s no reflection on Watts’ ability or himself. We all like him.”

But Fasching would not say what new objectives were planned.

Former council members Charles Gilb and Mary Young, who could not seek reelection because they had served the two consecutive terms allowed by the City Charter, both said they had heard rumors that the council wanted to get rid of Watts, but they said they were surprised it happened so quickly after the election.

“It’s surprising and it’s a shock,” Young said. “Watts is a quality city manager. He ran a tight ship, and was good at keeping the city fiscally sound. They were not thinking of the city.”

She said that Lojeski and Margett had collaborated with Fasching and Ciraulo before they were elected and knew they had a majority to remove Watts.

Gilb, a good friend of Watts, said, “It’s a tragedy for the city.” He said that the city law stipulates that officials cannot discharge a city manager within 135 days of a City Council election, unless by a unanimous vote. But, he added, “they didn’t fire him; they forced him into resignation.”

Harbicht, who cast the lone dissenting vote, said he couldn’t believe the council would fire someone of Watts’ quality.

“We discussed it for an hour-and-a-half and I was trying to talk them out of it,” Harbicht said. “I argued as strenuously as I could. It was a terrible mistake and will have a far-reaching impact on the city.

“It comes down to personalities. George is a strong individual, not a yes man, and he tells you what he thinks. I don’t think they wanted to hear that.”

City Atty. Mike Miller said the council may choose an interim city manager from a list of retired city managers provided by the League of California Cities. He said the council will meet on Tuesday to discuss the matter and decide whether to hire an independent firm to seek a replacement or use the city’s personnel service.

The statement released by the city said that Watts has a contract to consult and assist the city until a successor is found. Watts, 47, worked for the city for 22 years, the last 11 as city manager. He started as an administrative assistant and worked his way up to assistant to the city manager and then assistant city manager.

Ciraulo said the council negotiated “an extremely generous resignation package,” which Watts found satisfactory, but Ciraulo refused to describe its terms.