Pomona OKs Interim City Administrator

Seeking to waste no time putting city government on a different course, the Pomona City Council’s new majority has selected an interim city administrator after one 20-minute interview.

Andrew Lazzaretto Jr., former city administrator of Burbank, was appointed by the council in a 3-1 vote in closed session last week. The vote split along the same lines as the council’s May 1 decision to fire City Administrator A. J. Wilson.

Council members C. L. (Clay) Bryant, Nell Soto and Tomas Ursua formed the majority, while Mayor Donna Smith was the lone dissenter. Councilman Mark Nymeyer was absent from both votes.

The council arranged to have Lazzaretto interview for the job after Soto suggested him during a discussion at the council meeting.

Under an agreement tentatively worked out with the council, Lazzaretto will receive $7,000 a month to work at least four hours a day, five days a week, plus council meetings.