Riverside abruptly fires city manager
Official’s work had drawn praise, but his pay had triggered a lawsuit by the mayor.
The Riverside City Council has abruptly fired City Manager John Russo, whose pay had drawn scrutiny in recent weeks and led the mayor to file a lawsuit against the city.
The council in February had approved a contract with Russo making him one of the highest-paid city managers in California. Mayor Rusty Bailey, who argued that the contract was excessive, tried to veto it, only to be told he did not have that power.
Bailey filed suit against the city in March. The suit is pending in Riverside County Superior Court.
On Tuesday evening, the council gathered in closed session to discuss Russo’s performance evaluation. When they emerged from the session, Councilman Jim Perry announced that the council had voted 4 to 3 to fire Russo. Bailey was not at the meeting.
“We thank Mr. Russo for his work, and we wish him well in the future,” Perry said.
The city has not given a reason for the firing, and Perry on Wednesday declined to discuss the subject, saying it was a personnel matter.
The firing was first reported by the Press-Enterprise.
Russo was widely acknowledged to have done positive things in Riverside.
He was credited with helping secure the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art, Culture and Industry, which is scheduled to open downtown in 2020.
He also helped lead the city’s efforts to land the California Air Resources Board’s $419-million headquarters and testing laboratory, which broke ground late last year.
But his new contract — which came about three years into his tenure — was approved as Russo was asking all city department heads to find ways to cut their budgets.
The contract entitled Russo to receive pay and other benefits worth about $471,000 this year and a $675,000 low-interest home loan.
In a statement provided by the city, Russo said he “loved working with the great team at the city of Riverside.”
“We got a lot done, and there’s much more that will be happening as a result of our efforts. As a proud resident, I am looking forward to Riverside’s future,” Russo said.