There has been a lot of criticism of the hiring of Bill Lobdell as Interim Communications Director for the City of Costa Mesa at $3,000 a week.
I’d like to ask how Costa Mesa managed to fill the Public Relations Manager position – a job that was eliminated as part of cutbacks to the Costa Mesa Budget approved for 2010-2011. How did they choose someone with zero experience in government? And how much is he being paid?
As revenues plummeted in Costa Mesa, the total number of employees was reduced from 611 to 472. Even the City Manager’s office took a hit, and as part of this year’s budget, they eliminated their Legislative and Public Affairs Manager. Impacts of this loss were described in a report to the City Council
Increased workload for City Manager and Assistant City Manager which reduces ability to provide services for existing requests. Reduce ability to quickly support the City Council with research, speeches, letters, projects and staff reports. Will reduce legislative advocacy program to a significantly lower level for service. Shift responsibility of OC Public Library system and Costa Mesa Conference and Vistors Bureau to others.
But if you look at a an April 11, 2011 Planning Commission report, you will see that the guy who is handling the update of the City’s website is Public Affairs Manager Dan Joyce.
Remember that City Council meeting where they talked about the huge budget crisis but decided they did need to fill one position they had zeroed out? Yeah, me neither.
Well, who is Dan Joyce? He must be really impressive to get this job, from among hundreds of candidates interviewed. Oops, there doesn’t seem to be any indication that there was any public posting of this job or consideration of other candidates.
Dan Joyce does have an impressive resume including consulting for Rollerblade, X-games, and a stint doing sales for Rubber Sidewalks, a company that managed $4 million in sales over 10 years. Costa Mesa’s new Public Relations Manager is also featured in a video as Race Organizer of the Costa Mesa 2010 Community Run.
Here’s what Dan says about himself on Linked-In.
Creative and dynamic leader with a diverse marketing background, encompassing event planning, corporate communications, public relations, brand management, and collateral development within startup and high-growth environments. Possess more than 17 years of experience managing venue negotiations, planning, staffing, scheduling, budgeting, sponsor fulfillment, and collateral production for large-scale events. Proven track record of enhancing brand awareness, increasing market share, and augmenting sales via robust marketing and PR campaigns. Skilled developer of broad-based coalitions and networks of influence to increase credibility and visibility.
A Google Search reveals that Dan Joyce joined the City of Costa Mesa earlier than Lobdell. From Partnership Forum,
Dan Joyce – (2/22/2011 6:42:20 PM)
City of Costa Mesa, CA Interested in Hosting Events The City of Costa Mesa is interested in hosting your next event. We current (sic) partner with a wide range of sporting and cultural events including the OC Marathon, Barrett Jackson, OC Fair and the OC Jazz Festival. Home to the Pacific Amphitheatre, Segerstrom Concert Hall, Orange County Performing Arts Center, 2 public and 1 private golf course and over 25 parks.
The City of Costa Mesa is located in the heart of Orange County, between Los Angeles and San Diego. Costa Mesa has the advantage offering immediate freeway accessibility and is minutes away from John Wayne Airport.
Please contact Dan Joyce, Public Affairs Manager, City of Costa Mesa at djoyce@ci.costa-mesa.us.ca
Hint to Riggy and Mensinger. If you are going to send layoff notices to hundreds of people because of a looming budget crisis, maybe you shouldn’t be seen spending so much money on propaganda.
Note to Feet to the Fire panelists. Maybe the question should be, “Should Costa Mesa be Run More Like a Government?”
What a public relations disaster to hire this guy! The idea to lay off vital public employees for an unqualified, unnecessary political pundit to justify the city council decisions to decimate the public services employees is despicable policy by the elected officials of Costa Mesa.
So Dan Joyce was quietly/secretly hired by Tom Hatch back in February 2011. We don’t know how many thousands of dollars per week Mr. Joyce is enjoying at the expense of the Costa Mesa residents and soon to be outsourced employees. Here’s another prime example of the lack of transparency shrouding Costa Mesa. Tom Hatch is doing a very good job and keeping public information as private as possible. Eventually the truth slips out – but what if anything is being done about the underhanded tactics used?
Only politicians like Righeimer that do dirty things need such propaganda.
sounds like the whole council and all the employees should be let go, both sides have a lot of baggage that citizens can’t stand. maybe merge with another city. the employees are led by loud mouthed liar union thugs and the council is starting to look suspicious as well . it is all poisoned now. all must go