Joe Nelson and Liset Marquez, Staff Writers
Posted: 01/05/2010 06:15:47 PM PST
SAN BERNARDINO – The Board of Supervisors is courting Ontario City Manager Greg Devereaux to replace former County Administrative Officer Mark Uffer, who was dismissed from his post in November, according to sources close to the search.
While more than 200 applications have been submitted for the county’s top appointed position, board members have their sights set on Devereaux, the sources said on condition of anonymity.
On Tuesday, the board met in closed session to review applications and discuss potential candidates for the position, which pays $274,000 a year.
“They didn’t come out with any kind of announcement,” county spokesman David Wert said.
Wert also said that no interviews have been scheduled with any of the applicants. He said he had no knowledge of the county’s discussions with Devereaux.
Devereaux confirmed he has been approached by the county and that salary and benefits were mentioned, but he said he has not applied for the position and no formal offer has been made.
“Some people have talked to me and are trying to get me interested,” Devereaux said.
Supervisors Neil Derry and Gary Ovitt have advocated strongly for Devereaux, who worked under Ovitt when Ovitt was a city councilman and mayor of Ontario.
Devereaux said this is not the first time he’s been asked about the CAO job. County leaders approached him in the early 2000s, well before Uffer was hired in 2004.
As Ontario’s city manager of 12 years, Devereaux helped bolster the city’s economy, build its cash reserves and launched several successful redevelopment projects, including the acquisition of the Ontario Motor Speedway and the construction of Citizens Business Bank Arena.
Having built a reputation for his work on redevelopment projects and money management, Devereaux ensured that Ontario’s New Model Colony, 13 square miles of former dairy land, will be developed as a planned community. Once built, it is expected to house 120,000 new residents along with retail and recreational space by 2025.
It was also Devereaux who saw the value in purchasing the site of Ontario Motor Speedway – for less than $2 a square foot. The total cost for the property came in under $17 million.
Since then, the city has sold parts of the property, which includes Ontario Mills and other neighboring developments as well as the current site of the arena.
The finances from those sales were used to pay for the $140 million, 225,000-square-foot Citizens Business Bank Arena.
Ontario Mayor Paul Leon said he had heard rumors and speculation of Devereaux replacing Uffer even before the CAO post was vacated.
Despite the fact it would mean losing his city manager, Leon said he would support Devereaux if he took the position.
“I think they (Board of Supervisors) are smart to think he is the guy because he is the only one qualified for the CAO position,” Leon said. “His knowledge is second to none and that’s why he’s so valuable to the city of Ontario.”
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Lover Boy Paul knows a great ass-et when he sees one, just ask the female Convention Center consultant that he was photographed cavorting around with. I don’t get it, Leon says he’s “the only one qualified for the (County) CAO position” and at the same time “so valuable to the City of Ontario”, don’t you get it Paul, these two positions are mutually exclusive. Likewise, if Devereaux hasn’t even applied for the job as one of the approx. 200 applicants, how can he even be considered for the appointment? The Devil is in the details, don’t think for one second that Ontario wasn’t poised for prosperity in a way totally unlike the current County circumstances. The Ontario Centre development was already being developed by Chevron, who had acquired the old Motor Speedway property long before Devereaux came into the picture. And how does vacant property qualify as blight and end up being “redeveloped” into the Citizen’s Business Bank Arena?
This isn’t news. We all new right after Uffer was fired that Devereaux was the replacement. Devereaux is a very good manager but not public friendly. Hope he has changed in that area since the public is who he works for, not Ovitt! The question is, what is the county willing to pay to get him ??? Good job Little Stevie Wonder.
This guy looks like a goofball. Can you imagine a picture with him standing next to Slug Wert. OMG!