Pasadena City Manager Michael Beck Announces He Is Leaving City Hall

[Updated November 20, 2015 | 9:45 a.m.]  Pasadena City Manager Michael J. Beck today announced that he will leave his position with the city next February and assume a new role at the University of California at Los Angeles.

In a letter to city employees, Beck wrote “I will be leaving my position as city manager effective February 14th 2016 to embark on the next chapter of my professional journey. Beginning on March 1, 2016 I will assume the role of Administrative Vice Chancellor at UCLA.”

Both city officials and Beck himself said that the decision to leave the city was his alone.

“In fact if it wasn’t for this position, I wouldn’t be leaving Pasadena,” Beck said this morning. “Even though it was a great opportunity for me and my family it was a very difficult decision to make because of the fact that I love Pasadena.”

Beck said he was approached by a recruiter for UCLA and had not been considering other employment.

Pasadena Mayor Terry Tornek said that “there are those who expect that this is somehow connected to the embezzlement scandal.  I can tell you that I didn’t ask him to leave, in fact I asked him to stay. There shouldn’t be any mystery about that.”

Looking to his final three months as City Manager, Beck said he wants to get “the budget in a strong position,” support and transition all of the recent executive positions in operations and to “put in the longer term capital projects funding opportunities that we haven’t been able to resolve over the last 5 years because of the fiscal realities.”

“I am working closely with Mayor Tornek, members of City Council and the executive leadership team to ensure a smooth transition,” Beck said. “Announcements concerning next steps for the city will be forthcoming from the mayor.”

Mayor Tornek said that he has not yet consulted with Councilmembers on how to proceed with finding a replacement. The Mayor said he would expect there will be an Interim City Manager appointed while the recruitment process for a permanent replacement unfolds.

Councilmember Margaret McAustin reacted to the news today by saying that “while I am certainly happy for Michael as he undertakes the next step in his career, I am saddened for the City of Pasadena as we are losing a leader who always put Pasadena first.”

“Michael came into our city at a very difficult time and through hard work and partnerships, he led us out of the Great Recession and into a period of financial strength,” McAustin said. “His departure is a huge loss for the City…”

In his new position, Beck will oversee the UCLA Administration Division, which has an operating budget of $625 million and more than 4,400 employees.

“Mr. Beck will be responsible for developing policy, monitoring compliance and overseeing campus operations in the following areas: Campus Human Resources; Central Ticket Office; Environment, Health and Safety; Events and Transportation; Facilities Management; Housing and Hospitality Services (including faculty and staff housing, and UCLA conference centers); Information Technology Services; and the UCLA Police Department,”  Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Scott L. Waugh said in a statement.

Mayor Tornek said that, looking ahead, he believes a capable replacement will be found.

” I think that Pasadena has an expectation that we’re going to have excellent leadership and that the city manager should be an extraordinary person I think we’ve had a great tradition of superior city managers and I’m confident that because of the kind of city that we are and because of the the kinds of opportunities that we offer that will be able to attract capable candidates. I’m sure there will be some internal candidates who will want to compete for the job.”

“I’m pretty confident that we will come out in good shape,” Mayor Tornek said.