William Kelly has been appointed Arcadia City Manager after holding the Acting City Manager position for 7 months following the resignation of Donald Duckworth. Kelly began working for the city as a community development director in November, 1993.
Arcadia City Manager Bill Kelly, 58, is leaving his job to be a consultant in the private sector. He feels it is time to leave because many of the projects he had overseen in recent years have been completed or are on track to be completed.
A new director has been hired to take the place of Dave Alstadt, who is moving to direct vocal music. The new man is John Work, currently band director at Pasadena High School.
New City Manager Don Penman will promote Public Works Services Director Pat Malloy to the Assistant City Manager position and will promote Community Development Administrator Jason Kruckeberg to the job of Development Services Director. The City Council still needs to approve these appointments.
Right woman for the job. New Athletic Director at University of Southern California (USC) Jennifer Cohen brings integrity to Trojans program. She has 30 years of collegiate athletic experience, including the past 7 years in the same post at University of Washington. Cohen was born in Arcadia.
Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden has hired a new Chief Executive Officer named Dr. Mark Wourms. Wourms has a B.S. degree in botany from Ohio University, a Ph.D. in ecology and animal behavior from Boston University, and a certificate in business administration from New York University. He recently left the Kansas City Zoo, where he had been the zoo director since 1992.
First Avenue Middle School welcomes new principal Semeen Issa. Dr. Issa had been assistant principal at the school for the past 6 years and this will be her 17th year at First Avenue Middle School.
William Woolard, 50, Arcadia Planning Director for 22 years, resigned at the recommendation of City Manager Don Duckworth and a 4-1 City Council vote, with Robert Harbicht opposed. Woolard was asked to leave because of departmental reorganization, Duckworth said.
Arcadia High School names Eric Elias as head football coach. Elias is a former assistant coach and an Arcadia alum. He was offensive coordinator at Cantwell Sacred Heart this past season, and has had previous coaching experience at Buena Park, Schurr, and Arroyo.
After two weeks of delays, construction work has resumed along the downtown stretch of Huntington Drive and First Ave. City officials have hired a new contractor.