Anaheim City Council members are set to convene behind closed doors on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 8 a.m. to deliberate on the appointment of a new city manager. These critical discussions come approximately seven months after the departure of the previous city manager, Jim Vanderpool, who resigned earlier this year. The incoming city manager will be tasked with the significant responsibility of leading Orange County’s largest city and overseeing its substantial nearly $2.6 billion annual budget.
Vanderpool's resignation stemmed from ongoing questions surrounding his close ties to resort interests, which were under investigation by agents from the FBI. During his tenure, Vanderpool served as the city’s top executive throughout the challenging period of the COVID-19 pandemic. His length of service made him one of the longest-serving city managers in Anaheim over the past 15 years, a tenure that some city council members had previously acknowledged for bringing a sense of consistency to the city's leadership role.
However, Vanderpool's period in office was also notably marked by a broader city hall corruption scandal. This scandal initially came to public attention through an FBI probe in 2022 and was subsequently further investigated by the city’s own internal inquiry into the inner workings of city hall. Over time, the unfolding scandal prompted serious questions regarding whether Vanderpool and other high-ranking city officials might have prioritized the financial interests of Disneyland resort interests and developers above the collective interests of Anaheim residents.
Vanderpool ultimately tendered his resignation in February. This decision followed intense questioning about his failure to disclose his participation in a paid trip to Lake Havasu, a trip organized and paid for by the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce. This specific trip occurred just as city officials were on the verge of casting votes to finalize the chamber-backed Angel Stadium deal in 2020. That proposed stadium deal ultimately collapsed as a direct consequence of the escalating corruption scandal.
Approximately one month after Vanderpool’s resignation, city council members took action by voting to hire a consulting firm. This firm was engaged to conduct a comprehensive nationwide search for a qualified replacement for the city manager position. Whoever the council members ultimately select as Vanderpool’s successor will take on leadership duties at city hall during a period of significant transitions and ongoing major civic issues.
One such major development involves the Anaheim Angels baseball team. Angels Owner Arte Moreno is expected to finalize a deal to sell his Major League Baseball team to Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke early next year. This anticipated sale adds another layer of complexity to the local landscape that the new city manager will need to address.
Both the pending team sale and the upcoming deliberations on a new city manager are taking place as Anaheim residents continue to await critical information. They are still anticipating the release of results from an assessment of the condition of Angel Stadium. This assessment was first approved by the city four years ago, and its detailed findings are expected to play a crucial role. The results could potentially serve as foundational information in any future negotiations that might arise concerning a new stadium deal or the current venue. The responsibilities of the new city manager will undoubtedly encompass navigating these intertwined and high-profile municipal, economic, and community issues impacting Anaheim.
