CITY MAY FIRE MANAGER COUNCIL TO DISCUSS CARAVALHO'S FUTURE.

Byline: Heather MacDonald Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - Capping months of friction between Santa Clarita's top administrator and its elected officials, the City Council called a closed-door meeting for 3 p.m. today to decide whether to fire City Manager George Caravalho.

The surprise session was requested by Mayor Laurene Weste, Councilwoman Jo Anne Darcy and Councilman Bob Kellar.

Caravalho, hired by the first City Council in 1990, has won high praise from his peers and adulation from many of the city's 750 employees. However, he has clashed frequently over the years with Weste, who took over in December.

``She has had issues with me for some time now, going back to when she was on the inaugural Parks and Recreation Committee,'' Caravalho said Thursday. ``We've met a half-dozen times to discuss it, but she has never given me a reason.''

The city manager serves at the discretion of the City Council, which needs only three votes to terminate his contract.

Kellar said there were many issues, including Caravalho's performance, that the City Council needed to discuss at today's meeting.

Councilman Frank Ferry agreed there are many problems that need to be hashed out.

``I'm waiting to see some cause to take such an action,'' Ferry said. ``He's been here 13 years, and we have an incredible city. He is partially responsible for that, along with the staff.''

Weste often has criticized Caravalho and city staff members' work, most recently Tuesday at a study session to discuss the fiscal 2001 budget. She said Caravalho had not followed the council's direction in exploring the possibility of purchasing 38 acres of parkland near the city's Sports Complex.

Caravalho said he and staff members have been inundated with requests from council members and respond as quickly as possible, based on the council's own priorities.

``We try to accommodate the council's desires, but they have us running after so many different projects, all at the same time, it becomes impossible,'' Caravalho said.

If Caravalho is terminated, his contract entitles him to a cash payment equal to his salary, and a continuation of benefits for two years. Caravalho will earn $170,307 this year, excluding bonuses, benefits and unlimited use of a city-owned car.

If Caravalho is fired, many of the department heads and other employees could also lose their jobs, officials said.

The hastily called meeting stunned city and Los Angeles County officials and comes in the middle of one of the most tumultuous times in the city's 13-year history.

Tensions between the City Council and the city staff boiled over during discussions as to whether the city should put the city's trash contracts out to bid or extend the current contracts with the city's haulers, Santa Clarita/Blue Barrel Disposal and Atlas Consolidated Services.

Weste forcefully argued that the trash contracts should be put out to bid, reversing her earlier vote to enter into exclusive negotiations with the local haulers. The City Council voted 4-1 to extend the contracts.

Those contracts are expected to be formalized and ratified by the City Council in the next month.

Caravalho was harshly criticized several months ago for not informing the council that because of a reporting error at Chiquita Canyon Landfill about 68,000 tons of trash was mistakenly attributed to the city of Santa Clarita.

Caravalho's contract and employment with the city were also discussed at a series of meetings held in April at the Hyatt Valencia, according to council members who attended the meeting. Each council member met with business owners, school district officials and U.S. Rep. Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon to discuss several issues, including the city manager.

Caravalho was not invited to those meetings.