Acting City Manager Gets the Job for Good

Greg Beaubien, the city’s longtime financial director and recent acting city manager, has accepted the post of city manager on a permanent basis.

Beaubien, 47, joined the city’s staff nine years ago after serving as an interim city manager in Stanton and holding other financial posts in cities around the Southland.

He had reluctantly accepted the post of acting city manager in February 1997 after Kevin O’Rourke resigned from the job.

Beaubien stayed on as deputy city manager through the brief tenure of David A. Berger, who was fired without explanation by the City Council in July.

Beaubien, who has been acting city manager since Berger left in July, said he felt ready to move into the job for good.

“I had a lot of encouragement from employees and some people in the community,” he said. “I just felt that now was the time to take the next step up.”

City Council members said they were thrilled that he accepted the job.

“We finally got somebody everybody likes,” Councilman Art Brown said. “He gets along well with department heads, and his financial background really helped him.”

The council approved his contract, with a $116,000 annual salary, last week.

Beaubien, who holds a degree in public administration from Cal State Dominguez Hills, said he would continue working on projects underway until the newly elected council decides on any new goals.