In the wake of City Manager Dave Ream’s retirement, the city of Santa Ana last month hired the outside consulting firm Management Partners, Inc. For anyone interested, the firm’s contract with the city is attached to this post.
Among the more interesting aspects of the contract is that Management Partners is being asked to come up with a so-called “budget stabilization plan” that would address a structural budget deficit over the next several years.
And the consultant’s work proposal states that changes in the city organization and even the city charter might be required in order to achieve deficit reduction.
Recently, some council members have indicated that assisting the city with its budget problems won’t be the consulting firm’s only role.
The contract names Jan Perkins, a former Santa Ana assistant city manager, as lead consultant. Perkins, Councilman Sal Tinajero said, might take the helm as interim city manager when Ream steps down.