Rick Cole

Rick Cole (born 1953) is the executive director of the Congress for the New Urbanism[1] and an advisor to the mayor of Pasadena, California.[2] He has been the city manager of Azusa, California, then Ventura, California (2004–2012),[3] and Santa Monica, California (2015–2020).[4] He currently is the Chief Deputy Controller of Los Angeles.

Rick Cole
Cole in 2014
Mayor of Pasadena
In office
1992–1994
Preceded byJess Hughston
Succeeded byKatie Nack
Member of the Pasadena City Council for the 2nd District
In office
1983–1995
Preceded byStephen Acker
Succeeded byPaul Little
City Manager of Ventura
In office
2004–2012
Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles
In office
2013–2015
Appointed byEric Garcetti
City Manager of Santa Monica
In office
2015 – April 17, 2020
Deputy City Controller of Los Angeles
Assumed office
2022
Appointed byKenneth Mejia
Personal details
Born1953 (1953)
Alma materOccidental College
Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism

Career
Cole in 2014 as deputy mayor for Budget and Innovation.

Cole is a graduate of Occidental College and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.[5]

He served 12 years in elective office in his hometown of Pasadena, California,[6] including as deputy mayor from 1990 to 1992 and as mayor of Pasadena from 1992 to 1994. He co-founded the newspaper Pasadena Weekly.[7] At one point, he was marketing director of West Hollywood.[8]

Cole was named city manager of Ventura on a 5-2 vote in 2004.[3] While serving in that position, he was in the running for – but failed to become – the city manager position in Austin, Texas.[8] His forced resignation from the position in 2012 was accepted by a 4-3 vote.[3]

He became the parish administrator at the San Buenaventura Mission in 2012.[9] In July, 2013, Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti appointed Cole to the position of deputy mayor for Budget and Innovation.[10] On May 27, 2015, Cole was named the city manager of Santa Monica, by unanimous vote of the city council.[11][4] Cole served as the city manager from 2015 until his resignation on April 17, 2020.[12] He left office after an online petition for his resignation attained more than 2,800 signatures[13] on change.org, an online petitioning service. His resignation was announced on the City of Santa Monica's official blog[14] eighteen days before the local city council was scheduled to vote on large budget cuts to compensate for financial shortfalls. The shortfalls, attributed primarily to the 2019-2020 coronavirus pandemic during which the city closed all bars and restaurants, had already amounted to $72 millions and were projected to include an additional $154 million in the year to come.[13] The petition's authors cited alleged "superfluous spending [and] poor judgment", including "expanded powers and authority under the local emergency proclamation" which allowed the city manager to "layoff a large percentage of City Staff without giving them proper notice". The petition also called for the resignation of Assistant City Manager Katie Lichtig.[15]

In 2021, he was named the executive director of the Congress for the New Urbanism, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.[1] He also took on the role of special housing advisor to Victor Gordo, the mayor of Pasadena, California.[2]

On December 1, 2022, City Controller-elect Kenneth Mejia appointed Cole to serve as Chief Deputy City Controller for his term. Cole previously endorsed Mejia for his City Controller election.

On May 9, 2023, he announced a campaign for Pasadena City Council, representing district 2.

Recognition

In 2006, he was selected as one of Governing Magazine's nine "Public Officials of the Year", noting his “urban revival skills”.[7]

On his resignation, the Ventura County Star editorialized that Cole had "led a downtown revitalization, guided Ventura through daunting budget challenges and oversaw important but unsexy work such as improving public works, water and sewer operations."[16]

References
  1. O'Neal, Margaret (May 4, 2021). "CNU welcomes Rick Cole as new executive director". Congress for the New Urbanism. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
  2. Rodriguez, Matthew (May 13, 2021). "Rick Cole returns home to Pasadena". Pasadena Weekly. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
  3. Martinez, Arlene (September 28, 2012). "Ventura city manager's exit linked to style". Retrieved August 10, 2021.
  4. Dupré, Brandon (May 28, 2015). "Meet Rick Cole, Santa Monica's New City Manager". Santa Monica Mirror.
  5. "Former Mayor Rick Cole Will Run for District 2 Council Seat".
  6. Casuso, Jorge (April 7, 2021). "Former City Manager Rick Cole Named Special Housing Advisor for Pasadena". Santa Monica Lookout. Retrieved 2021-08-11.
  7. "Rick Cole Represents". VC Reporter. November 9, 2006. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
  8. Dunbar, Wells (January 14, 2008). "Whither Rick Cole?". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  9. McGrath, Rachel (September 13, 2012). "Rick Cole is taking new job at San Buenanventura Mission". Ventura County Star. Archived from the original on May 30, 2015.
  10. Saillant, Catherine (July 14, 2013). "Rick Cole brings municipal experience to Garcetti administration". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
  11. Zahniser, David (May 28, 2015). "Aide to L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti hired for top post in Santa Monica". Los Angeles Times.
  12. "A Final Message from Rick". www.santamonica.gov. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
  13. "Santa Monica city manager resigns, cites divisions over coronavirus budget cuts". KTLA. 2020-04-19. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
  14. "A Final Message from Rick".
  15. "BREAKING: City Manager Rick Cole to Step Down". SM Mirror. 2020-04-17. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
  16. Editorial (September 1, 2012). "Editorial: Rick Cole's departure". Ventura County Star. Archived from the original on May 30, 2015.
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