San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments names…
San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments names interim director
By Steve Scauzillo | sscauzillo@scng.com | San Gabriel Valley Tribune
PUBLISHED: February 20, 2015 at 3:47 p.m. | UPDATED: August 28, 2017 at 3:48 a.m.
For the second time in as many years, the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments board hired Fran Delach as interim executive director, temporarily filling the post left vacant by Andrea Miller.
Miller, 47, served two years in the position and was roundly praised Thursday night at her final meeting for shaping the regional planning agency into a more stable organization. The council is made up of 31 cities, three water districts and three county supervisorial districts and examines issues common to the small cities in the San Gabriel Valley, such as the environment, water and transportation.
Miller leaves the group where she earned $175,000 a year to become city manager of Covina, where she will receive a base salary of $205,500 along with the possibility of annual raises of $15,000.
"It is a win for Covina. It is a challenge for the COG," said council president Mary Ann Lutz, mayor of Monrovia, during an interview Friday.
Miller was passed the baton from interim Delach in February 2013. Delach took over after the group terminated the contract of long-time executive director Nicholas Conway. Conway, contracted to lead the agency while keeping his own consulting group, left after felony charges were filed against him by the Los Angeles County District Attorney for conflict of interest. The charges were dismissed by a Superior Court judge and Conway was awarded a $250,000 cash settlement as severance and for legal costs.
As a result, the council decided to change its management structure by hiring its employees. Miller became the first management employee of the joint powers authority. She also forged new relationships with other agencies, including the San Bernardino Associated Governments.
"I want to thank you for all you have done to straighten out the COG," said Barbara Messina, past president and Alhambra City Council member, at the meeting Thursday night in Monrovia.
Delach, a former city manager of Azusa who served as interim city manager of Monrovia, will be paid $13,000 a month. The board signed him to a nine-month contract. During that time, the group will begin searching for a new executive director, Lutz said.
Delach and Alameda Corridor East (ACE) Chief Executive Officer Mark Christoffels will report back in March or April on how the two affiliated agencies can work more closely together, Lutz said. Delach will complete an analysis "of the role of the executive director position and its relationship to the role of the chief executive officer of the ACE," according to the approved contract.
"Bringing back Fran is a no-brainer," Lutz said. He is able to come back and hit the ground running."
When asked last month if he would consider running both agencies, he said he had not been asked to do so and added: "I am committed to ACE."
Miller said she would recommend Christoffels lead the SGVCOG at a future date, perhaps when his duties at ACE winds down. ACE uses state, federal and local dollars to build train bridges and underpasses in the Valley. Projects are expected to be completed sometime in 2019.
Steve Scauzillo | Reporter
Steve Scauzillo has been a journalist for more than 40 years, has worked as a beat reporter, assistant city editor, Opinion Pages Editor, general assignment and transportation/environment writer. Steve loves to explore the outdoors by hiking the Angeles National Forest and is an amateur bird watcher. Steve is on the board of the San Gabriel Valley LGBTQ Center in Arcadia and a member of Rose City Church in Pasadena. He's working on a screenplay in his spare time.
sscauzillo@scng.com
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