Citing “Community Opposition,” South Pasadena City Council Abruptly Rejects Selection for New City Manager in Closed Door Session

The South Pasadena City Council on Tuesday did an about face and canceled its earlier selection for next City Manager, citing “community opposition and concerns.”

Previously, the South Pasadena Council had reached agreement on a top candidate and was prepared to appoint and enter into an agreement with Christopher Jordan, a former city manager of two West Coast cities, at its April 21, 2021 meeting.

Over 15 years, Jordan was city manager of Los Altos, California for just under five years until resigning last November. Prior to that, he served 10 years as city manager in West Linn, Oregon, according to the SouthPasadenan.com.

Instead the Council convened a special closed session Tuesday to reconsider the appointment of Jordan and to consider appropriate next steps to fill the vacant city manager position currently being filled by interim city manager Sean Joyce.

After the closed door session, the South Pasadena City Council announced it will not consider approval of an employment agreement with Jordan and will now direct its attention toward the other candidate in the running.

Additional background checks of that candidate will be conducted, and terms of an employment agreement negotiated before it is presented for consideration at an upcoming regular meeting of the City Council.