CHANGES COMING TO T.O. CITY HALL; FRIEDL APPOINTMENT AND BIERY RETIREMENT ANNOUNCED.

Byline: Cecilia Chan Staff Writer

The faces at City Hall are changing as City Manager MaryJane Lazz appointed Assistant City Attorney James Friedl as one of her two deputies and Finance Director Robert Biery has announced his retirement.

Friedl, who will assume his new role Sept. 4, was among 89 candidates nationwide who applied for the job. He will earn $87,600 a year, an increase of $8,172 from his old position.

Friedl will maintain his current benefits such as health coverage, and he may receive a monthly car allowance of $125 to $150, but that has not been decided yet.

``I personally really like the ability for the deputy city manager role to go out and work directly with people, with citizen groups, council committees and actually play a part in accomplishing the objectives of these different committees and groups, kind of a hands-on approach,'' said Friedl, 32. ``I see myself more as a people's person, and that to me is the most attractive thing.''

Friedl will oversee intergovernmental relations, legislation review, community development block grant programs and other special projects. He also will work with the council and community committees.

``We went through a national recruitment search,'' said Denese Wilson Cox, city human resource manager. ``The applicants were screened and went through an interview process, and we established an eligibility list and Jim scored very high.''

Friedl has been an attorney for six years, five of them with the city. He doesn't see the switch as a major career change.

``In terms of an overall career choice, I think they are similar jobs in a sense,'' he said. ``I don't see it as going in a whole different direction; it's like changing lanes in a freeway, still going in the same direction.

``The city has got a lot of good people working for it right now, and that is one of the reasons I wanted to stay here,'' said Friedl, who was raised in nearby Agoura Hills and earned his law degree from Pepperdine University. ``I love the Conejo Valley and don't want to leave. I'm grateful for the opportunity to stay.''

Lazz has not hired the other deputy city manager yet, Cox said.

``We also have other candidates that scored very well, and MaryJane Lazz, the city manager, is in the process of trying to decide who she wants to hire to fill the other position,'' she said.

The other deputy city manager would serve as a city spokesperson, monitor the city's budget development and supervise staff who are directly involved with a number of committees and commissions, such as teen and senior citizens committees. That person also would be involved in City Council referrals and citizens' concerns and respond to citywide issues.

The position also pays $7,300 a month.

Both positions were created by Lazz when she was promoted to city manager in January after serving 10 months as interim city manager and 18 years as assistant city manager.

Lazz reclassified her old assistant city manager's position, which paid more than a deputy city manager job, and that of a vacant manager's position, Cox said.

Biery also announced his retirement, effective Sept. 4, Cox said.

Biery, who was hired by the city on Oct. 16, 1981, was on vacation and not available for comment.

Cox said Biery may stay on as a part-time employee, and Lazz has not decided yet who will fill Biery's position but could appoint city deputy treasurer Candis Hong as acting finance director in the meantime.

Cox also said a search will be held to fill Friedl's old job.