Presto!
Poway’s vanishing public works director
Chula Vista Deputy City Manager Leah Browder has landed her dream job in Poway, courtesy of the mysteriously abrupt resignation of that city’s public works director.
The San Diego Union-Tribune reported last Friday that Browder, a Poway native who heads up Chula Vista’s animal shelter, Nature Center and other departments, will start her new gig as public works director in June. Staff writer Tanya Sierra notes the move isn’t exactly a lateral one: The Poway position’s compensation range is $128,492 to $156,182 a year, while Browder now earns $167,256 with Chula Vista.
But, she tells Sierra: “To have my dream job open up in my hometown, where jobs like that open up every 20 years, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.”
Actually, if recent history is any indication, the job of Poway public works director seems to open up with alarming frequency. Browder’s hire fills a vacancy created in January by the sudden resignation—sudden, as in “effective immediately”—of Public Works Director Kevin Haupt. Haupt himself held the title for all of 17 months after replacing longtime Poway Public Works Director Jim Howell, who retired in August 2007 after 37 years on the job.
Which begs the question: Just why did Haupt, a Poway operations manager prior to his promotion, up and quit a six-figure managerial position amid a terrible recession and without advance notice?
According to a city news release issued at the time, Haupt resigned in January to “pursue other employment opportunities.” On Monday, Poway City Manager Rod Gould told CityBeat that Haupt “resigned for personal reasons.”
Asked whether he could elaborate further, given the strangeness of a city executive responsible for 92 employees and a $36 million budget walking away on a dime, Gould said, “I’m not at liberty to talk any further about it.”
Tony Winney, a senior management analyst for the city of Poway, was a little more forthcoming about Haupt’s departure, but only a little. Asked why Haupt left, he said: “That’s a good question.
“The official line is [Haupt’s resignation] was a mutually agreed-upon separation,” Winney says. “The way it’s being viewed is as a human-resources issue.”
Browder told CityBeat that she’s aware of the short tenure of her Poway predecessor but isn’t concerned about it. “I did find it surprising also because I’m used to seeing folks in Poway being there for lots and lots of years,” she says.
“It’s something that I looked at in talking to the folks in Poway, and I feel very comfortable about the situation and very confident that I can add to the strength of their team.”
The U-T’s Sierra also noted in her May 1 story that Browder’s oversight of the Chula Vista animal shelter coincided with the release of two reports citing problems at the facility. One report, issued in January by a city-contracted veterinarian, criticized the shelter for a high euthanasia rate, lack of accountability and unsanitary conditions.
Comments
I did hear one hypothesis. I asked a couple of the people in his department about it, but they claimed that they didn't know. This story came from an outside source, and I can personally vouch for at least some of the facts in the case.
I live on Ezra Lane in Poway, and I got together with some of the other residents to try and beautify the stretch of Rattlesnake Creek that flows alongside our street. Poway Public Works has done their best to sterilize the creek habitat over the last 20 years, and have converted what used to be a functional riparian habitat into a weedy drainage ditch. When I first moved into the neighborhood 25 years ago, California Treefrogs were living and breeding in the creek. After years of dredging, clearcutting and herbicide, the frogs have fallen silent.
Our stretch of Rattlesnake Creek is home to massive California Sycamores and beautiful Coast Live Oaks interspersed with native willows. With the permission of the property owner, we took the initiative to plant native sycamore seedlings along the creek. When those trees grew up, they would have restored the ugly drainage ditch into a beautiful native creek. But Poway Public Works wasn't going to put up with that. They removed the trees against the wishes of the community and the property owner.
Kevin Haupt assured us that they would meet with us to discuss their decision before tearing out the trees, but reneged on that promise. Kevin Haupt claimed that the city was legally obligated to remove the trees, but in fact regulations from the Department of Fish and Game explicitly prohibits the kind of dredging operations they used to justify their judgment.
Haupt resigned just days after ordering department personnel to remove the 27 community trees, and shortly after I presented City Manager Rod Gould with documentary evidence showing the legal basis of their judgment was devoid of merit.
The explanation I've heard for why Kevin Haupt is spending more time with his family and pursuing other professional opportunities is because of his highly unprofessional and ethically questionable handling of the Ezra Lane Sycamores. Until we hear a better one, this one stands up.
hey gerold,
I grew up in Poway since 1961. If Ezra water table dropped it didn't drop by anything done to that section of the creek by city workers. The wells drilled upstream in High Valley, Mt Woodson, and Ramona I suspect are the culprits.
Ezra channel has been a seasonal creek that dries up for as long as I can remember and I grew up in Poway.
The picture you paint is a strange one. Trees can restore water into a creek? I see. Well what about those huge eucalyptus trees? That creek should be flooding right now then.
And as far as Mr. Haupt leaving his Directorship due to your doings?
Now that is funny.
Almost as funny as your exaggerations and the unreality you try to bring into reality.
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Actually shredder, I was told that Haupt had to resign because of his actions. It wasn't because of what I did.
He made a commitment to meet with the residents, and failed to meet that commitment. He informed the City Council that the city of Poway was "legally obligated" to remove the trees we planted, when in fact the agreement with Fish and Game explicitly prohibited the dredging of the creekbed used to justify his claim. He elected to conduct himself in a dishonest and unprofessional manner. Perhaps that is insufficient grounds for dismissal in your opinion. Do you have a better explanation?
The rest of your comment, relating to the hydrology of Rattlesnake Creek, is so muddled that it isn't worth addressing. The degradation of the riparian habitat is unconnected with the seasonal nature of the surface flow, and no one is suggesting that trees will inject water into a creek.
Now that would be funny.
Well gerold,
No one knows exactly why Mr. Haupt moved on except for him and the City Manager so for you or anyone to speculate is nothing but that...speculation.
Regarding your suggestion that planting trees would have, "...restored the ugly drainage ditch into a beautiful native creek". While trees would provide nice cover and beauty they would not magically bring back water and the wash would still be a seasonal dry wash as it has been as long as I can remember.
Again, regarding that stretch of creek, are you claiming it use to be a year-round creek? What year was that?
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A little reading comprehension goes a long way, shredder.
You're complaining that my hypothesis is mere speculation. Well duh, what did you think "hypothesis" means? Of course it's speculative. That's why it's called an hypothesis. When the principles refuse to provide a clear explanation, that space gets filled with speculation. If the city of Poway refuses to conduct their business in an open and transparent way, that not only leads to hypothetical speculation, but also lends credence to theories related to shady and/or underhanded deals. People don't usually hide the truth unless they have good reason to hide it.
And about that reading comprehension: I never claimed that planting trees would "magically" bring back water, nor did I imply there was ever year-round surface flow.
I said that this stretch of Rattlesnake Creek had been a "functional riparian habitat." Surface flow was present for more of the year (as late as June while I've been here), long enough for the treefrogs to go through their reproductive cycle. My kids collected tadpoles from that creek.
Tadpoles are still present both upstream and downstream of Ezra Lane, but those parts of the creek haven't been dredged and channelized. Poway Public Works destroyed the reed beds and cut down native willows that helped retain water. (Note: they don't magically create water, they just prevent it from shooting down the channel so fast.)
Sorry Geroldo i forgot to turn the water back on in that section. Ummm it's a desert and we have'nt had much of.... how do you say that liquid stuff that falls from the sky.........oh yeah rain! Another little fact when you go on to property that does'nt belong to you thats called treaspassing (i'm kinda dum may b spelled wrong) you got know buisness on it anyways......GET OVER IT!!!!!!
Yo toady - do you have any idea at all what you're talking about? Maybe your definition of "treaspassing" is different from mine, but we had full permission from the owner to plant trees on his property. He wanted the trees. It was the city of Poway that decided trees were a menace and pulled them up.
Thanks anyway - very informative contribution.
Sorry. I forgot the easment part of that situation. Or do you need that explained as well. I am failing to hear the "actual" property owner say anything, just you. Hmmm makes me wonder?
Yes toady, I need the "easment part of the situation" explained to me. Please do.
You see and i assume your are an inteligent man. Easment meaning it may be the property owners land, but there must remain full acess. You know sewer, water, electrical and in this case drainage or stream flow. If something happens and they need to correct a emegency situation it would be hard to do if someone, lets just say plants tree's somewhere that might impeed other's to correct a situation thusly endangering property or even life. I have a great feeling you know exactly what i'm saying but refuse to aknowledge it. Again where is this property owner? Your doing all talking for him, hmmm. Thats just a little weird to me. But hey who said i was normal anyways.
I'm not talking for Anton. I'm speaking for myself only. I don't think he has any idea this article exists.
I commented on this story because I have been wondering why Kevin Haupt left also. Lots of people have been wondering the same thing. I am not the only one who felt that he mismanaged this situation badly. The residents here tried to work with Haupt and the Poway Public Works Dept., but he rejected every offer of cooperation.
Given the general attitude at city hall, it's hard to imagine that Haupt would be sacked just for being an imperious bureaucrat. His misrepresentation of the legal rights and obligations of the city is another matter however.
What I find strange is that these two characters "shred" and toadlicker feel the need to leap to the defense of some random bureaucrat, when clearly neither one knows diddly squat about the situation. Do bureaucrats have groupies too? Do you have posters of insurance commissioners and comptrollers on your bedroom walls? That is more than just a little weird.
Sounds like someone has way to much time on there hands, probably don't have job or family life. And for the record i voted DEM! The only thing that i hate more than insurance commissioners and comptrollers are useless wineers. Plant your trees in your yard.
Hopefully Leah Browder will bring a bigger view to public works. Under Haupt's direction, the department preferred to treat creeks as drainage ditches, and had no regard for nature. Poway has the potential to restore our natural waterways into a beautiful combination of parks for people and habitat for the native animals and plants. And, it wouldn't cost a lot of money. It could be done without a lot of capital investment or maintenence costs. The main requirement is just vision and leadership. Lets hope Leah Browder brings it to Poway.
Another directer leaves? Hmmm. Geraldo did you get another one fired? I don't think so, in fact i know these recent departures have nothing to do with creeks or water ways (which have no water----oxymoron) interesting though. Sounds like questions need to be asked. Good day all!
Another director leaves? What are you talking about, toady?
Kevin Haupt abruptly left as director of Poway public works. There is a whole article about it at the top of this page. His predessessor left after 37 years on the job. They are the only ones who have left in the last 38 years.
Poway has hired a new director of public works, named Leah Browder, but she hasn't left yet. In fact, she hasn't even started yet. There is a very interesting article about it in city beat, it's not too hard to find.
So toady, you claim to know the real reason Haupt didn't leave - what wasn't it?